The future of a former Salvation Army building in Cardiff is uncertain after plans to convert it into flats were refused.
In September last year, Lucky Letting Agency submitted plans to Cardiff Council to convert the building on May Street in Cathays into 10 “high-quality” flats. Planning documents said the design aimed to “create a sustainable and attractive residential development that respects its urban context”.
The proposal also included extensions to the building and alterations to external openings.
Objections from local councillors
Local ward councillors Sarah Merry, Norma Mackie, and Chris Weaver, who now leads the council, objected to the plans. They argued the proposal would lead to “overdevelopment” in May Street and would “impact on the amenity of neighbours”.
The councillors also raised concerns about lighting and privacy. In a letter to the planning officer, they wrote: “The outlook of four of the flats will be poor with the design only allowing one window to light the whole of the studio as there can be no windows facing onto the houses of May Street.
“For the same reason we believe that any glass in the dormer windows must be obscured to avoid overlooking the properties in May Street.
“This would be acceptable in a bathroom but not a bedroom which will make the room feel claustrophobic.”
Privacy concerns upheld
The planning officer agreed with the privacy concerns, stating that “significant concerns arise in respect of overlooking and loss of privacy”. This was because windows for some rooms would look directly into the neighbour’s property.
The report said: “The resulting loss of privacy would be detrimental to the living conditions enjoyed by neighbouring occupiers and would fail to respect the established residential character of the surrounding area.”
