A COUNCIL is being asked to allow steel shutters fitted by traders fed up with continual attacks on their premises to remain in place.
The steel roller shutter door was fitted at the shop in Osborne Road, Pontypool in early 2024 but following a burglary in May the tenants who fitted it relocated.
An application has now been made on behalf of the landlord for retrospective planning permission to retain the shutters which were installed without his knowledge.
A statement submitted with the application has highlighted concerns over anti-social behaviour in Pontypool and how 30 windows were smashed in the Cwmbran Shopping Centre in just one night in February.
Pontypool is also described as “less safe” in the statement which reads: “30 traders will have staff suffering from increased anxiety and the businesses will suffer from expense, raised insurance premiums, whilst Cwmbran shoppers will feel less safe and concerned for businesses that they use.”
It adds: “Unfortunately, Pontypool has also become less safe during evenings and night-time. Anti-social behaviour has undergone significant increase in recent times.”
Screenshots of several news website reports of anti-social behaviour in Pontypool are included with the application as well as the history of damage to the Osborne Road shop.
According to the application an attempted break-in occured in August 2019 and a front window smashed in January 2023.
During the burglary in May items were stolen and the inside of the shop, as well as the door, were damaged resulting in the tenants leaving the property.
If allowed to remain in place the shutter will only be drawn down during non-trading hours and while the property is within the town centre boundary it is outside of the conservation area.
The two storey, end terraced mixed-use building was built in around 1880. The ground floor is a small retail unit and the first a residential flat with a more modern door to the side.
The application highlights that Torfaen’s supplementary planning guidance doesn’t strictly rule out shutters but states: “The use of roller shutters should be avoided”.
The application is being considered by Torfaen Borough Council’s planning department.