Nine homes will replace the Bottom Bridge Inn in Cwmbran

Plans have been approved by Torfaen County Borough Council to demolish the Bottom Bridge Inn in Greenhill Road and replace it with nine homes. 

The applicant, housing association Melin Homes, has said the development will comprise six one-bedroom flats and three two-bedroom houses.

The original application had included plans for 10 homes, which included six one-bedroom flats and four three-bedroom homes, but changes were made after there were concerns over the lack of parking.

The amended plans for the vacant pub allow the required off-street parking to be provided as part of the development. 

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The decision report says the pub “has been vacant for some time and the building is now in a poor condition”.

As part of the consultation process, 24 neighbouring properties were consulted on the plans and the council received one objection.

The objector raised concerns over a loss of privacy and the impact of the development on the canal because the former pub was “part of the canal system”.

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The objection reads: “The Bottom Bridge was a part of the canal system there are feeding baskets for the barge horses in the lower part of the building.

“There is also a large metal ring on the corner of the building facing where the canal used to be situated, this was needed to secure the ropes that held the barges steady when they negotiated the canal lock.”

The objector says the residents had complained many times to the pub owners and that they have “suffered greatly” for the “almost three years the pub has stood empty not only to see the building being trashed, but also to suffer vandalism, personal threats and abusive behaviour from a hardcore group of youngsters”.

Before any work on the site can take place, Melin Homes is required to sign a section 106 agreement, which would ensure that at least 30 per cent of the homes are affordable.

Although Melin Homes aims to develop 100 per cent affordable housing, this would bind any future developer under this application to provide at least 30 per cent.