PLANS for a new drive-thru restaurant and up to 25 homes in Brynmawr have been given the green light by Blaenau Gwent councillors.

Councillors voted to approve an outline planning application to build a three-storey block of 20 flats and five two-bedroom houses on a vacant site east of Blaina Road in Brynmawr at a meeting on Thursday.

A drive-thru restaurant, which is planned to be a Costa Coffee, will also be built as part of the development.

A petition signed by 127 people was lodged against the plans, stating the proposal for a drive-thru does not accord with the council's Local Development Plan (LDP) as it only allows for housing.

And at the planning committee meeting, councillors heard that a late objection had been received from governors at the nearby Blaenycwm Primary School.

In the letter from the chair of governors concerns were expressed over whether the type of housing, being mainly flats, was suitable for being near to a school.

Worries were also raised at the meeting over smells from the drive-thru restaurant affecting children at the nearby school.

Cllr Bob Summers raised concern over whether there was sufficient information due to the application being in outline form.

He said: "If this is open 24/7 we will get an increase in access (to the Nmc site).

"My concern is we have not got enough details."

Cllr Summers asked whether a condition could be added for improvements to cycling and walking access to the site.

The meeting heard that further details of the scheme would be revealed at the reserved matters stage of the application.

The joint scheme submitted by Harrington Harris Investments & Melin Homes will bring £500,000 of investment to the Brynmawr area and create 18 skilled and non-skilled jobs.

Although the site is allocated for housing in the council's LDP, it is not reserved for a drive-thru restaurant.

However, planning officers recommended for the the development to be approved due to the overall benefits of the scheme.