Proposed changes to plans for a three-storey block of flats in Pontymister have prompted concerns from residents.

The plans for 18 one-bedroom apartments at the site of the former petrol station in Newport Road were approved in December by Caerphilly County Borough Council.

Planning officers and councillors backed the plans, but only after the scheme was changed from previously proposing 12 one-bedroom flats and six two-bedroom flats.

The scheme was revised to just one-bedroom flats to meet car parking requirements, with 22 parking spaces included in the plans.

But a proposal to change a planning condition has now been lodged, with new planning documents showing the development would include four two-bedroom flats and two one-bedroom disabled units.

A new application says the changes are being made “to meet [the] council’s housing department’s requirements”.

Residents turned out to discuss the plans at a socially-distanced meeting on Saturday (August 22).

Ward councillor Bob Owen has made a request for the application to be ‘called-in’, so that any changes are considered by the planning committee.

“The residents are not happy at all,” Cllr Owen said.

“The fact is they are going to have this whopping great three-storey building on the site.

“The upgrade, to introduce four two-bedroom flats, is going to cause more parking issues and puts the development back outside the parking limits.”

Fellow ward councillor Ross Whiting, who is also on the council’s planning committee, said any such changes to the application “might affect how it is seen by the planning committee”.

The building will be 11.6 metres in height, with the site already raised above the road by around 1.5 metres, making it significantly taller than any other building in the area.

Objector David Brown previously told the council’s planning committee it would be the equivalent of three 4.4-metre double decker buses on top of each other, and twice the height of a lamp post nearby.

“I think this monstrous looking building is going to be completely out of character and it is going to be an eyesore,” he said.

But Rob Chichester, representing the applicant, said the scheme would be “an attractive and sustainable” development.

Mr Chichester said the development would help address a “chronic shortage” of one-bedroom affordable housing in the borough, bringing 18 “much-needed” homes.

The proposed variation to the application will be assessed by the council.