Plans to create two flats on the upper floors above a shop on Aberystwyth’s Great Darkgate Street have been approved by Ceredigion County Council planners.

The scheme will see two flats built above the Vodafone store at 11 Great Darkgate Street.

Planning documents said the upper floors of the building are currently used for storage that are no “surplus to requirements.”

Under the plans, the retail unit would be retained, with the first and second floors each containing a two bedroom flat.

Planning documents said: “The proposal is deemed to assist the regeneration of the brownfield site which currently comprises of a retail unit on the ground floor with ancillary storage spaces to the upper floor.

The scheme’s layout is “common throughout the town centre”, documents said, and would aid the provision of “much-needed housing”.

Documents said that no changes are proposed externally, while developers also sought to negotiate a reduction in affordable housing contribution by “demonstrating a lack of viability to the scheme.”

“Given that no external works are proposed, the scheme is considered to not give rise to an impact on the landscape, street scene, or the conservation area,” planning documents said.

“Upon designing a scheme, it was decided to focus on two-bedroom apartments. This decision was derived from local knowledge, which demonstrated a strong demand for two-bedroom apartments within the Aberystwyth area.”

Planning documents said there was an “unmet need” for two bedroom properties in Aberystwyth.

Aberystwyth Town Council lodged no objection to the scheme, but called for a condition to be placed preventing the flats from being used as a second home or holiday accommodation.

The council said it also “strongly disagrees with the affordability challenge raised by the developers.”

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The plans were approved by Ceredigion County Council planning officers under delegated powers subject to conditions.