A former social club in Neath Port Talbot could be transformed into a Tesco Express supermarket if planning permission is granted. The application, submitted to the local council, proposes demolishing the R.A.O.B club on Heol Cae Gurwen in Gwaun Cae Gurwen and constructing a new convenience store on the site.
Current State of the Site
The existing building, described as being in a state of disrepair, is a three-storey property located on the A474 Heol Cae Gurwen. Plans indicate the new development would be a two-storey building, reducing both the height and mass compared to the current structure. The proposal includes 10 customer parking spaces, with access directly from Heol Cae Gurwen.
Need for Convenience Shopping
An impact assessment submitted with the application highlighted a lack of convenience shopping options in the area. According to the assessment, there is “limited convenience provision” locally, justifying the need for a new store. The proposed Tesco Express would have a gross floorspace of 372 square metres, distributed across ground and first floors, with a retail sales area of approximately 240 square metres.
The application states: “The proposed store would have a gross floorspace of 372 sqm distributed across the ground and first floors and a retail sales area of around 240 sqm. Consistent with its role as primarily a convenience store meeting smaller and more regular ‘top-up’ shopping needs of the local community the majority of floorspace will be devoted to the sale of convenience products, with just a small amount of non-food products sold. These in turn will generally be low-value frequent purchases including pet food and related products, some cards and newspapers and periodicals, toiletries, and cut flowers.”
History of Applications
This proposal follows a series of applications for the site dating back to 2004. Previous approvals include plans for an apartment building and two pairs of semi-detached homes, though neither was realised. The current application will now be reviewed by the council’s planning department, with a decision expected in the coming months.
