Ceredigion county planners have approved plans to convert a disused church hall in the seaside village of Llangrannog into short-term holiday accommodation.
The application, submitted to Ceredigion council by Ian Benbow via agent Loyn and Co Architects, sought a change of use for the former meeting hall at St Carannog's Parish Room. Work on the building, which has not hosted community activities since 2018, began in April but remains incomplete, according to a supporting statement submitted with the application.
Building sold at auction
The supporting statement notes: "The site was previously a meeting hall associated with the neighbouring St Carannog's church but has been empty and disused for many years and was recently sold at auction by the church to the applicant."
The scheme received backing from Llangrannog local community council.
Officer report highlights constraints
An officer report recommending approval stated: "The proposal involves the reuse and refurbishment of the existing building with no proposed extensions or increase in its footprint. The revised internal layout would create visitor accommodation arranged over two floors."
The report continued: "Evidence submitted in support of the application demonstrates that the building has experienced a prolonged decline in community use. Information provided by the church warden confirms that the last regular user of the hall, a yoga group, ceased using the premises in 2018 and that other historical users had either disbanded or relocated to alternative venues some years beforehand. Since that time no significant interest has been expressed in hiring or operating the building for community purposes."
It added: "The information submitted also highlights a number of significant constraints which adversely affect the suitability of the building for continued community use. The principal accommodation is located at first-floor level and is accessed by steep external steps resulting in poor accessibility and limiting the building's ability to meet modern accessibility standards. Furthermore the site has no dedicated parking provision with users reliant on public parking facilities elsewhere within the village. These factors substantially diminish the building's attractiveness and practicality as a venue for community activities."
Alternative venues and tourist economy
The report noted that alternative community facilities exist nearby, including Pontgarreg Memorial Hall, which "provides a modern and accessible facility offering a range of community services and meeting spaces," while the Pentre Arms "continues to accommodate meetings and community functions".
It further stated: "Llangrannog is a recognised tourist destination and the provision of additional self-catering accommodation would contribute towards the local visitor economy. The proposal would achieve this through the reuse of an existing building rather than new-build development, representing an efficient and sustainable form of development within the settlement."
The application was conditionally approved.
