SUPPORTING pillars for a restaurant that will overhang a park and intended to resemble trees have been dropped in newly approved scaled back plans.
A council planning committee has approved revised plans to convert an existing public toilet block into a restaurant/cafe for a fourth time following repeated redesigns on cost grounds.
The plan to turn the toilet block on Hanbury Road in Pontypool into a restaurant with a rear extension overlooking the Italian Gardens in Pontypool Park, is part of a more than £9 million redevelopment project supported with £7.6m from the previous UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund.
Previous designs proposed that the pillars supporting the glass extension would resemble trees, with the undercroft beneath also used as part of the restaurant.
The project has been dogged by rising costs that have forced the numerous redesigns and required Torfaen Borough Council to add a further £1.5m from a separate UK Government fund towards the pot.
Its planning committee were recommended to approve the latest design for the toilet conversion, that now includes a “substantial” demolition of the 1950s-built toilet, designed in the classical style, and a separate, but linked, application for the revamp of the nearby Glantorvaen multi-storey car park.
Council planning officer Mia McAndrew told the committee the facade of the toilet block, on Hanbury Road, will be retained though the height and eaves of the roof will be higher and she said: “It will have a very similar appearance to what is there now.”
She said the extension over the Italian Gardens will look different to the previously approved plans but said it would still have a canopy, with a kiosk underneath, while due to costs the modern extension will no longer be entirely glass but full-height glass windows and dark cladding.
‘Spaceshippy’
Pontypool independent councillor Mark Jones said he was concerned the dark or black cladding would detract from the original building and said: “It just looks quite spaceshippy to be honest with you”.
Ms McAndrew said the council’s heritage officer was “comfortable with its appearance and its relationship with the original” while planner Justin Jones said the designers had considered “weathering” and had wanted to avoid the cladding appearing “dated” as well as its juxtaposition with the existing toilet block.
Labour member for Upper Cwmbran Steve Evans questioned if rain water would be harvested in the design and said: “We should be looking at stuff like this, it is a toilet and that water would be perfect for that type of thing.”
Mr Jones said the council has declared a climate emergency and its regeneration team, which has made the application, would consider the points he’d made which would also be looked at during the building control application.
Solar panels
Ms McAndrew reminded Cllr Evans the design includes solar panels on the flat roof of the extension though they will be hidden from view by the raised roof of the Hanbury Road facade.
Labour member for Pontypool Gaynor James said she was pleased with the design and said: “Looking at this I think it’s absolutely gorgeous. It is lovely and modern and there’s a generation younger than us who will really appreciate this and use it.”
The council has previously said the restaurant could create 36 jobs as well as secure existing jobs in the town centre with the intention it will draw some of the estimated 300,000 people that visit Pontypool Park every year into the town.
Two accessible public toilets will also be included in the building and accessed from Hanbury Road.
Construction access will be through the Italian Gardens which will also require removal of the pond but Ms McAndrew said a condition will require it is restored.
Approved unanimously
The application was approved unanimously while the committee also gave the go-ahead for the revamp of the Glantorvaen multistorey car park, which will include new cladding and a brighter stairwell and is intended to support a nighttime economy in Pontypool.
Final permission for the demolition of the toilet block will have to be approved by the Welsh Government as it is a council application to demolish a building in a conservation area.