Plans to turn a former health centre near Machynlleth into a four-bedroom home have been approved.

This comes just over two years since plans to convert the former Glantwymyn Health Centre on Cemmaes Road into an 18-bed care home were also given the green light.

The new plans were lodged with Powys County Council by Dafydd Evans of  Penegoes.

His agents George + Tomos had explained that the “initial plan” was for Mr Evans to convert the building into a care home himself, depending on whether he could secure funding for the project.

But he couldn’t find the funding which made the project “unviable.”

They said that the property had been put for sale  for in the “hope” that a buyer would develop the care home themselves, but there had been no interest.

This is when Mr Evans decided to convert the health centre into a four-bedroom house.

Powys planning officer Rhian Griffiths said: “Whilst the level of information submitted would not normally be considered sufficient to demonstrate that the commercial nature of the building (as a care home) is no longer viable, it is acknowledged that the building has been vacant since the health centre closed in 2019.”

She added in her report that converting the building to a care home could “still be implemented.”

Ms Griffiths said: “Given that only limited external alterations are proposed to the existing building, and the fact that the site is located within the Glantwymyn settlement, it is considered the development would not have any adverse impact upon the character of the landscape

“The proposed conversion scheme fundamentally retains the character and appearance of the building and thus assimilates within the immediate context and surrounding landscape.”

Ms Griffiths approved the plans and gave it conditional consent.

As part of the process consultees, Glantwymyn community council had backed the application.

Glantwymyn council said: “The building will become a home for a local Welsh family with young children.

“The family contributes to and sustains the local community in all aspects and also work in a business in the local area which they also own.”

In 2017, Glantwymyn Health Centre took over Machynlleth Health Centre, which at that time was managed directly by the Powys Teaching Health Board (PTHB).

This merger created Dyfi Valley Health and at that time there was confidence that they had the staffing in place to maintain services at both premises.

But soon afterwards opening hours were cut due to staffing issues and the surgery closed its doors on 31 July 2019.