Town centres need families for “community”, a councillor has said as plans for an Aberystwyth flats conversion were delayed.

Ceredigion County Council will hold a ‘cooling off’ period to seek out more information before a decision is taken on allowing a house on Castle Terrace, South Road, to be converted into four flats.

Local member Cllr Endaf Edwards told a planning committee: “Family houses are scarce in Aberystwyth and there are lots of flats. In my opinion we can’t afford to lose another family house.”

This was backed by Cllr Ceredig Davies who said he’d like to see families moving into the town because “without families you’ve not got community” and flats were usually a temporary home where people “don’t put down roots.”

He said two larger flats would be more suitable, allowing for two small families “to get on the first rung of the property ladder.”

There were also objections from Aberystwyth Town Council, residents and a neighbour, who spoke at committee to outline how it would impact his family amenity, especially if the flat roof extension was used for “partying” as others in the area were.

Parking concerns were also raised.

Find out about planning applications that affect you by visiting the Public Notice Portal.

The committee decided that as a site visit was not considered possible due to Covid, a cooling off period would be allowed during which further evidence, including pictures, in relation to the issues raised would be gathered and discussed at a later date.