A planning application has been made to build 20 homes on a former builder’s merchants site in Machynlleth.

The plans submitted by H&N Developments (Powys) aim to turn the former Travis Perkins site on Heol y Doll, Machynlleth, into four houses and 16 flats.

The plan for four, three-bedroom houses, four, two-bedroom flats and 12 one-bedroom flats would see one former warehouse building demolished and another one modified.

Machynlleth county councillor Mike Williams (Independent) has asked for the application to be brought before the planning committee for a decision.

Cllr Williams said: “Given that Machynlleth is, for the most part, surrounded by floodplain and common land, it is of great importance that appropriate residential development be made of brownfield sites.

“I can confirm that, having viewed the plans and supporting papers in respect to the planning application, I wish to invoke the council’s call-in procedure.

“Parts of Machynlleth and the proposals are in a conservation area.”

Mark Walters, Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust, has commented on the application.

Mr Walters said: “The re-use of the site and plan shape of the northern building with a slightly set back frontage is acceptable.

“The re-created gable end should completely re-use the original stone in this case, so that the gable end frontage will essentially remain the same.

“We have no objection to the demolition of the southern warehouse which has seen more alteration than the northern example and the gable frontage is later, early 20th century and not original. Overall we would have no objection to the proposals.”

The Design and Access statement for the proposals says: “The proposed design has been chosen to ensure it responds to the heritage layout of the site.

“Following the basic layout from the existing building the proposal minimises the impact on the existing listed building opposite.”

“We consider the proposed design has sufficient integrity to contribute to the town without detracting away from the beauty and character or conflicting visually or technically to the existing neighbourhood properties.”