Caerphilly town centre could have a fifth betting shop after plans for a new one were submitted to the council.
The former Sue Ryder charity shop at 85 Cardiff Road is the proposed new home to the betting shop.
It is not yet known which betting shop brand will take up residence in the commercial premises.
The planning application is for a change of use from a shop (classed as A1) to a betting shop (classed as A2 – financial and professional services).
Caerphilly County Borough Council’s town centre manager Andrew Highway is known to be unhappy with the plan and is opposed to it.
However, under planning law, councillors cannot turn the application down simply because there are four other similar establishments in the area.
Under the council’s own planning policy within its Local Development Plan blueprint for the town there is a provision to prevent a change of use under certain circumstances.
The policy does not allow a change of use unless the commercial property vacancy rate in the town is more than 10% for at least a year. Last year’s vacancy rate in Caerphilly town was 19%.
Caerphilly town’s existing betting shops
Corals – 44a Castle Street
Ladbrokes – 4 Cardiff Road
Bet Fred – 63 Cardiff Road
Corals – 44 Cardiff Road
And a local St James Ward Councillor said, at a recent Council meeting which was considering this new betting office proposal,
" at least, with the new pub, customers can roll from one to the other",
Does this mean this Councillor is "for" or "against" this new fifth betting office for our town?. Yet another retail unit gone, reducing the opportunity for `proper` shops.