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A chopped-down sycamore tree has contributed to a new homes plan being refused in Bedwas.

Caerphilly County Borough Council planners said a “recently-felled” tree in front of the property was not acknowledged in the proposals for four new flats at the former St John Ambulance hall in Pandy Road.

They claimed the tree “contributed to the visual amenity of the area” and concluded the application for the redevelopment “fails to provide compensatory or replacement planting to mitigate this loss”.

Applicant Nigel Willetts had hoped to redevelop the “empty” hall, redesigning it to create two one-bedroom flats and a pair of two-bedroom flats.

But in addition to the tree problems, the planning officers also refused planning permission because of an “insufficient” assessment of noise at the property.

They also said a proposed 1.8-metre boundary fence next to the road would be “visually prominent and incongruous within the street scene, detracting from the character and appearance of the area”.