Twenty-two new flats are set to be built at the Jobcentre in Welshpool.

Powys County Council has granted planning permission to build new flats at Dolanog House on Severn Road after the upper floors were left vacant for years.

The plans will see a mix of one and two-bedroom flats.

The plans were proposed by Birmingham based developers, Sienna Ria Ltd, whose application said: “The design will seek to convert an existing under-used part of a building into viable reuse in the form of much needed flatted accommodation which will work well in terms of supporting the continued viability of Welshpool Town Centre.

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“As part of the conversion it is expected that existing walls, floors and ceilings will be insulated to improve their thermal performance, while providing compliance with party wall and party floor legislation.

“It is the intention to retain the existing layout of the building with no external changes. The only changes that are to be considered under the auspices of this planning application submission are those in terms of internal wall arrangements to facilitate its conversion into residential accommodation.”

The town council backed the plans and said they “would like to see an increase in the proportion of sustainable/affordable houses” for “insulation to be of a high standard and soundproof” and that “the building should be made to look more appealing and fit with the local area.”

The planning officer who looked at the application has approved the build but said that within 90 days of work starting there must be “detailed drawings for the commercial and domestic recycling/residual waste collection stores to the rear of the footway of the B4381, which shall be submitted and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

“The development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details of construction.”