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A vacant church in Brithdir can be converted back into homes, Caerphilly Council planners have decided.

The proposal to revert St David’s Church, in Station Terrace, back into three properties will create “much-needed housing for the community”, a planning agent argued.

A council report shows permission to create the church from the three terraced homes was granted in 1980, with the space inside the houses “opened up to suit a church use”.

They said the new proposal, by applicant Dafydd Carter of NALC Ltd, is to redivide the properties to create three two-bedroom houses, which each also have a bathroom and an open-plan space on the ground floor comprising a kitchen, dining area and living room.

In a letter, the applicant’s agents at LRM Planning Limited said the proposal “seeks to return the building to its original residential function… thereby bringing a redundant building back into beneficial use”.

The report shows the application drew two objections during a consultation period.

One raised concerns the homes “would be used for immigrants” despite no indication in the application of any future occupiers, while the other objection claimed there was “no need for flats in the village” – even though the proposals are for three two-bedroom houses.

In both cases, the council’s planning officers said the objections were “not a material consideration in the determination of the application”.

They granted planning permission, subject to conditions.