Newydd Housing planning change to Castle Hotel pub

In 2019, planning permission was granted to Newydd Housing to transform three Barry Town centre pubs into flats, including the Windsor Hotel on Holton Road, Sea View Club on Dock View Road and the Castle Hotel on Jewel Street.

At the Castle, the planning application included making major changes to allow for 14 affordable apartments and, crucially, refurbishing and re-using the existing pub.

But then, in summer this year, an amendment to the planning application was made proposing turning the bar area into another eight flats.

The Castle, will it retain a community space? (Image: Google Maps)

There was fierce opposition to the amendment at a Barry Town Council planning committee meeting in July, with the council concerned about loss of public space and concerns regarding the legitimacy of attempts of the developer to secure a tenant for the bar.

Now, the amended application has been withdrawn, a move welcomed by local councillors.

Councillor Millie Collins, a member the town council’s planning committee and a representative of Barry Docks area, said: “The original application was a linked plan to turn three local pubs into housing, but retain part of one of them, the Castle Hotel, as a bar for local residents to have somewhere to socialise in their community.

“We were disappointed when that plan was changed amongst claims that there was no interest in running a pub at this location, when it had previously existed for more than one hundred years.”

The Windsor on Holton Road, turned into flats (Image: Google Maps)

Newydd Housing making affordable flats (Image: Google Maps)

Town councillor Dennis Clarke, of the Buttrills ward, said: “The consultation feedback form provided by Newydd Housing Association in 2019 says they wanted to provide a refurbished public house at the Castle Hotel, together with a total of 60 affordable homes at the Windsor, Sea View and Castle Hotel, in order to meet an identified local housing need.

“The planning permission for all three developments was granted on the basis of the continued community use of the Castle Hotel, on balance with the loss of the other pubs.

“Newydd should make good on their obligation to maintain a community asset in the Barry Docks area, and not be allowed to move the goalposts to get out of their promises to the people of Barry.”

There is no confirmation what will happened with the bar area at the Castle Hotel.

Newydd Housing has been contacted for comment.

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