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Part of the old Crumlin Institute building can be turned into flats despite fresh complaints about a lack of nearby parking.

Objectors said the addition of eight flats to Crumlin Square will pile pressure on the local road network – and a council highways officer agreed the current situation there is “quite problematic”.

But the building’s new owner believes his vision for the property will provide “good homes for good people”.

The debate over parking is likely to set the tone for many future decisions on town-centre developments which increasingly do not have to cater to car users, a senior officer warned.

Amended plans for Crumlin Institute went before Caerphilly County Borough Council’s planning committee, on Wednesday October 9, six months after planning permission was originally granted.

The project has been revisited because new building owner Michael Osborne wants to change the layout of the proposed flats.

Instead of the eight one-bedroom flats approved in April, Mr Osborne now wants to build six one-bedroom and two two-bedroom flats on the building’s upper floors.

Speaking to the committee, he said he had bought the property in July from the previous owner, who had applied for the original planning permission.

After spending “a lot of time looking at the plans” he decided to make adjustments to “maintain structural integrity” and alter the “tenant type” of the future occupiers.

By adding in a couple of two-bedroom flats, Mr Osborne said he could “give accommodation opportunities to families looking for a place to live”.

The committee heard impassioned arguments about parking pressures when they considered the original plans in April, and much of the discussion at this second meeting was on similar themes.

Crumlin ward councillors Carl Thomas and Kristian Woodland both made fresh speeches to the committee, urging them to reject the revised plans.

Cllr Thomas complained that street view images showing a relatively quiet Crumlin Square were “very misleading” because they had been taken during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Cllr Woodland, meanwhile, said he had met with residents concerned about a “lack of parking in the surrounding area”.

“A further increase in the number of vehicles [will] make it even more difficult for local businesses,” he added.

Council highways officer Lisa Cooper acknowledged Crumlin Square is a “very busy area” and said she could “fully appreciate there is huge parking demand”.

But the existing use of the Crumlin Institute building, if fully occupied, requires “45 to 49 spaces”, she said.

The proposed flats will require eight parking spaces.

Planning officer Carwyn Powell warned the committee it had already granted planning permission for eight flats at the same site in April – so was not in a position to reject the amendments for reasons it had previously considered acceptable.

“We would have significant difficulties defending that at an appeal,” he said.

Planning services manager Ryan Thomas said the Crumlin Institute parking debate is a sign of things to come.

He said national planning policies were “trying to encourage far more mixed use [developments to] … revitalise town centres”.

“We will have more of these going forward – carless developments in sustainable locations.

“Members need to recognise the direction of travel.”

A majority of committee members voted to approve the amended flats plan for Crumlin Institute.