PROPOSALS to convert a former social club near Ebbw Vale into bungalows will be discussed by councillors at a Planning Committee meeting again next week.

At a meeting of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council’s Planning committee on Thursday, February 3, councillors voted to approve plans to convert the Premier Club, on Williams Street in Cwm into bungalows.

In doing this, they went against the advice of planning officers to refuse the proposal which they saw as a “highly vulnerable development.”

The building is in a flood zone, as the River Ebbw is close to it.

At a meeting on Thursday, March 3, councillors will look at planning conditions penned by planning officer that they feel are needed to ensure the development is built safely.

The report by Lesley Thomas says: “No development shall take place until details of the flood risk measures to be incorporated within the dwellings have been submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority.”

Ms Thomas said that these measures need to be “implemented in full” before anyone can live in the bungalow.

This is “to ensure the development is carried out in a safe and satisfactory manner and to mitigate the risk of flooding to future occupants,” said Ms Thomas.

Another condition that needs to be satisfied is for a “revised” tree study needs to be lodged with planners.

This is because there are trees at the northwest boundary of the site that are covered by a Tree Preservation Order.

At the original meeting on February 3, Cllr Bernard Willis put forward the motion for approval by the planning committee.

Cllr Willis said: “I’ve never known any serious flooding in Cwm.

“This isn’t a from-scratch development, this is a conversion.

“If I lived in that street in Cwm, I would prefer to see two bungalows than what’s there now.

“This river is at a low level going through Cwm, I would support all day long more new builds and tidy homes for people in Blaenau Gwent.”

The plans were approved by six votes to three with one abstention.