A landlord in Pontypool has been told to remove roller shutters from a laundrette after an independent inspector upheld a council's refusal to grant retrospective planning permission. The shutters, installed in early 2024 by tenants following a series of break-ins and incidents of anti-social behaviour, were deemed harmful to the character and appearance of the area.
Landlord's appeal dismissed
Landlord Peter Cox applied to Torfaen Borough Council for retrospective permission to retain the shutters, which he had painted to better complement the front of the premises. He argued they were vital to protect the property against potential anti-social behaviour and thefts. The council rejected the application, citing the shutters as having "a harmful impact on the character and appearance of the surrounding area".
Mr Cox lodged an appeal with Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW). Independent inspector Richard James visited the Osborne Road store and sided with the council, upholding the refusal for the same reasons.
Inspector's findings
Mr James said the appeal had "substantiated" concerns around "anti-social behaviour, vandalism and theft in the area, particularly during the night", but said he was not convinced the roller shutters were the only answer. His report stated: "It is likely that some form of protection is essential for the appeal property to combat these concerns and secure the long-term viability of its commercial use. However, there is no compelling evidence to demonstrate that the development before me is the only means available to the appellant to do so."
He dismissed the appeal on the same grounds the council had refused permission, noting that the shutters, which project from the building with boxed storage, were "harmful to the character and appearance" of the area. A lane running alongside the premises separates it, and the remainder of Osborne Road, from the Pontypool conservation area. Mr James said the number of units with shutters detracted from the shop fronts.
Impact on street scene
Mr James noted: "I also saw a number of roller shutter doors of varied appearance within the area. Those which had boxy housing that projected out from their shop front fascias, comprised bulky, unsympathetic additions to the street scene." While he acknowledged empty premises in the northern section of the town centre, he regarded it as having "a generally high occupancy rate and a predominantly active frontage".
He said shutters damaged the aesthetic: "Those that were closed during my visit with solid opaque shuttering that prevented views through to their respective shop fronts, created visual gaps in the active street frontage with a hard, fortress appearance, that eroded the street scene's quality." His report also stated that while the shutters would be raised during trading hours, people would probably still pass through the commercial area during morning and early evening periods when the shutters would be lowered.
