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Vacant office units above shops in Blackwood town centre are set for conversion into flats.

Caerphilly Council’s planning officers have approved a proposal for the first floor of the Cordani Building, in Gravel Lane.

The applicant, MSH Property Holdings Ltd, has won planning permission to redevelop the four “vacant office suites with toilet facilities” currently on the premises.

The ground floor of the building will not be affected by the plans.

Documents show the proposals are for four residential units, accessible via a shared landing area.

Each flat would contain a bathroom and open plan kitchen, living and bedroom area – while two of the properties would also each include another separate bedroom.

A design statement by Richard Andrews Architects, on behalf of the applicant, said the “change of use of the property would provide a useful source of affordable housing in a sustainable location”.

In their report granting planning permission, with conditions, council officers noted the application had drawn no objections from members of the public during a recent consultation.

Converting the upper floor of Cordani Buildings would “is considered to be acceptable from a residential amenity point of view”, and there are “no direct views into other residential units”.