A planning application to demolish dilapidated former bakehouse in Machynlleth and build houses in its place has been re-submitted after being withdrawn.

On Tuesday, March 5, an application for planning permission to demolish a former bakery on Maengwyn Street, in Machynlleth was submitted to Powys County Council, which also included a proposal to build two houses on the site.

This follows a similar application that was withdrawn in January 2023, despite no objections from either Machynlleth Town Council or a Built Heritage Conservation Officer, but has now been re-submitted to the council with a similar vision.

The proposal within the application said: “The vision is to create comfortable, sustainable two bedroomed homes with outdoor amenity space which will be aesthetically pleasing and utilise a neglected town centre site.

“The brief was to utilise the site to create simple but comfortable and attractive living accommodation for an affordable rent.

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"Due to the fact that little of the original buildings remain, and what internal walls there are would not fit into a practical design, it was decided that demolition is the practical option.”

The application also noted the site’s proximity to other residents and businesses such as the neighbouring Wynnstay Hotel. Plans specified that no new openings were to be added to the rear wall for both the privacy of the residents and the patrons.

The applicants also held a site meeting with a senior archaeologist from Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust, who offered some information about the state of the site.

The archaeologist said: “The overgrown garden and the area below the concrete floor of the existing building is all within one, or possibly two, medieval burgage plots extending back from the frontage.

“These rear plots typically contained former timber framed or stone extensions, wells, rubbish pits, burgage plot boundary ditches, gardens and potentially even light industrial features such as pottery or corn drying kilns. The site lies within what is thought to be a medieval burgage plot.”

In light of this information, the applicants added that a watching brief will be carried out by an archaeologist during any excavations at the site.

Community councillor Michael Williams added in a consultee comment: “I have viewed the plans and supporting documents and can confirm my full support for the application. There is a desperate need in Machynlleth for such developments.”