The redevelopment of a former industrial building in Bangor into a padel facility has been approved by planners, despite reservations over asbestos.

The application to convert an empty Denis Ferranti Meters Ltd building, a former aerospace parts site, on Caernarfon Road, came before Gwynedd’s planning committee.

They agreed a change of use at a meeting on 8 December.

The application, submitted by the Social Sports Society through agents JMS Planning and Development, included plans to develop eight padel courts, two pickleball courts, a reception/WC area, cabins, warm-up zone, cycle parking area and use of existing parking.

The proposed hours of use would be 7am-11pm, seven days a week.

Public speaker Daniel Linton said the plans represented “a significant investment” for Bangor and would create an “excellent community facility offering access to the fastest growing sport in Europe” with eight “high quality courts” “significant benefits to the community, local economy and environment”.

But Cllr Gareth Roberts had “some reservations from local knowledge” as “the industrial site had a lot of asbestos on it”.

Planning officer Gareth Jones said no information about asbestos has been raised.

“If there was, I am sure the public protection department would have had observations on that,” he said.

“There are statutory requirements with regard to asbestos, that an applicant must adhere to outside of the planning system.”

But Cllr Roberts stated: “From local evidence, I know people who worked in that factory for many years, there was a lot of asbestos, Denis Ferranti used to deal with asbestos on a big scale.

“My concern is, once you start knocking hell out of this building, changing its use, this will be disturbed forever and will fly to neighbouring residential properties.

“It is a big concern. It’s a simple thing an asbestos survey should be conducted on the warehouse, that should have been forthcoming.”

Monitoring office Iwan Evans stepped in to point out the only thing the planning committee had to consider was the “change of use” aspect of the application.

“There is already planning permission for industrial use and storage,” he said.

“As a committee, you haven’t control over other aspects, any development in terms of asbestos regulations, construction controls to ensure the development is done in a safe manner, the only thing you can consider is the change of use.

“There are regulations that the applicant or owner would have to comply with.

“But in terms of planning, the building is in existence, it has use anyway, and the other matters are outside of the scope of this planning committee.”

Proposing accepting the plans, Cllr Edgar Wyn Owen, said: “With regard to asbestos, that doesn’t come into it here.

“I think this is a good thing, to get something developed for the area, and not to see everything going to Wrexham and Flintshire.”

He felt it was “in the right place” and “easy to reach” for people in Bangor but also Caernarfon, Pwllheli, Llandudno and Anglesey.

“I think it’s the best option we have had for this site,” he added.

Eleven councillors voted in favour. No-one objected or abstained.