Plans to convert Llanidloes cafe to accommodate a travel agents has been approved by county planners

Plans to change the use of a Grade II listed building in Llanidloes from a café into a travel agents shop have been given the green light by Powys county planners.

In March an application to change the use of the former Traveller’s Rest café on Long Bridge Street was lodged with Powys County Council by Paul and Elizabeth Riley.

The couple want to partially change the ground floor of the Traveller’s Rest from a café to travel agents shop and tourist information.

The scheme includes additional residential changes which would see the kitchen become part of the existing residential accommodation on the first and second floor of the building.

The proposal would see the buildings class use change from E to C3.

Planning agent Oliver Evans of Morris Marshall and Pool explained that the café had closed in February, and the planning permission needed to be approved so that the new venture can start trading at the site.

Mr Evans said: “The proposed development will now see the previous eating area of the café become the travel agents shop and tourist information for Hafod Travel.

“The former kitchen for the café is now being proposed to be the residential kitchen for the first and second floor premises, which will be occupied by the shop owner.”

He said that the scheme would only see “minor” internal alterations – which was an important point for planners to consider.

Mr Evans said: “The proposal will seek to bring a new type of commercial premises to the primary shopping front of the town.

“This will hopefully bring some further business into the town.”

As the building is listed, during the consultation process the council’s built heritage planners were asked to comment on the application.

Senior built heritage officer Dr Sam Johnson said:  “No objection is made to the proposal which appears to make no physical alteration to any historic fabric or any fabric intrinsic to the character and history of the building.”

If there had been any physical changes Dr Johnson said that a listed building consent planning application would have been needed to accompany the scheme.

Planning officer Aled Williams said: “It is considered that the proposed development does fundamentally comply with relevant planning policy.

“The recommendation is one of conditional consent.”

The Traveller’s Rest is one of 176 listed buildings in Llanidloes.

It was given its listed building status in 1989.

The building’s origins date back to the 18th century.