A year-long delay in deciding whether to grant planning approval for a new cash machine in Machynlleth is putting the town’s economy at risk, a councillor has warned.

Cllr Michael Williams has questioned why CADW have still not given the go-ahead for a new cashpoint to be installed at Mr News, near the town clock, leaving Machynlleth with only one external cash machine by the Co-op store.

CADW must give consent to the development because it is a listed building, so special consent must be issued.

Machynlleth Town Council has repeatedly raised concerns about banking issues in the town, with access to cash a particular issue, especially when the town hosts large-scale events such as the Machynlleth Comedy Festival.

Cllr Williams said he had been approached by frustrated members of the public wanting to know when the ATM would be installed and available.

He said: “It’s absolutely ridiculous. I haven’t heard one word against it from the public.

“All I’ve heard is people saying ‘Please Mike, can’t this application go through so we can have this machine’.”

A Powys County Council spokesperson said the delay in deciding the application was because there has been no response from CADW yet on the listed building application.

A Cadw spokesperson said: “We are currently considering Powys County Council’s application to grant listed building consent at this site. It is only right that we consider all relevant information and we are working to respond to this request as quickly as possible.”

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