Cafe and flats plan approved for town’s former bank

A former bank on Blackwood’s High Street looks set for a new lease of life, after council planners approved a bid for a new cafe and flats.

The application, by Fesal Sohail, received 11 letters of support which welcomed a chance to “bring a vacant unit back into use”.

The property at 148 High Street formerly housed the town’s Santander bank, but the branch was one of 95 across the UK to shut last June in response to changing customer behaviour.

Plans submitted to Caerphilly County Borough Council showed the ground-floor banking areas will make way for an open-plan commercial space.

Upstairs, the existing offices will be replaced by two studio flats and a one-bedroom flat.

During a recent public consultation period, supporters of the scheme praised the redevelopment opportunity, adding the new housing would be “perfect” for single people.

No objections to the plans were lodged with the council.

Planning officers said the three proposed flats were of “a reasonable size”, while the proposed cafe on the ground floor “is not considered to be out of keeping with the area”.

They granted planning permission, subject to several conditions including limits on the opening hours of the proposed cafe.