A BLOCK containing 57 flats for the over-55s could be built on the site of a former Newport school if a planning permission gets the go-ahead next week.

The application for the former site of Durham Road Junior and Infants School in St Julians, which was closed in 2008 and has since been demolished, by housing association Linc Cymru will go before Newport City Council's Planning Committee next week.

If the plans get the green light every flat in the three-storey block will be designated as affordable housing and will be available only to the over-55s.

But concerns have been raised around the number of parking spaces provided in the application.

Under council rules applicants must provide one off-road space per bedroom in a development, as well as one visitor's space for every five flats. Although this would mean the development should include 82 spaces, only 35 are provided in the application.

However, the council has said it is prepared to accept this given a large amount of available on-road parking, as well as good links to public transport.

A report to be presented to committee members said: "Durham Road provides a very sustainable location being close to local shops, doctors surgeries, dentists, opticians and a post office, and is a very popular locality within the city as it is also on a main arterial route into the city centre.

"The site itself is in a level location with easy access to the facilities and therefore the city council asked Linc, one of the partner housing associations, to look at the provision of over 55’s accommodation in this locality."

It added there are currently 428 applications from over 55’s for accommodation in the area.

The council's planning department has recommended the application should be permitted subject to Linc agreeing to a number of conditions.

The meeting at Newport Civic Centre on 10am on Wednesday, September 6, is open to the public.

View the full agenda at tinyurl.com/ydgobax5