There are plans to turn a former pub in Rhondda into a care home. The application for the Grade II listed empty Wattstown Hotel in Aberllechau Road, Wattstown, is for a care home with 22 units.
A planning application submitted to Rhondda Cynon Taf Council suggests that enquiries previously made by the applicant indicated that the change of use would be welcomed by the local authority. It also said that the property had a lapsed planning notice with approval to convert the building into residential units.
The application said that it “remains paramount” to retain, and restore where possible, the external appearance of the building. The whole building would undergo a full refurbishment in order to bring it up to current regulations to become an operating care home, it said, adding that there was potential for an extra five units. You can get more Rhondda news and other story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
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The property sits in Abberllechau Road and at the moment there is only the potential for a short stay and pick up and drop off area previously used for deliveries and staff parking. From here, there is access to the basement level from the rear of the site, where the kitchens and storage rooms are.
The intention is to keep this layout and use this access and parking point as both drop off and short stay as well as for out of hours deliveries. Staff working at the care home would be encouraged to use local transport, cycle or walk, with cycle storage to the rear of the site.
The building, said the applicants, was located in close proximity to bus stations travelling in both directions along Aberllechau Road, and, if necessary, there was on street parking available within the immediate area, with the local village public car park located 600m away.
“The conversion of this vacant property into an operating care home would not only provide a stunning location and building for residents to reside in, but also provide the local community with immediate and secondary employment opportunities. It is expected that to operate the care home there would be an immediate 11 full time positions available for eight carers, a manager, a cleaner and a cook,” said the application.
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