A LARGE social housing development will be built on a former Llandudno Junction school site after receiving the go ahead from Conwy's planning committee.

Plans for the Ysgol Maelgwn site in Llandudno Junction will see 27 new social housing homes built by Cartrefi Conwy.

The plans went before councillors on Conwy’s planning committee last Wednesday.

Speaking on behalf of the housing association, Sioned Edwards, argued plans would deliver much needed specialist affordable housing.

She said: “The scheme has been developed from a very early stage with input from the council’s housing strategy and social care teams with the intention of delivering specialist and affordable housing to meet an existing identified need locally.

"We consulted upon the proposals prior to the submission of the planning application and the feedback from members of the public and neighbours was very supportive.”

The plans will see 10 specialist housing units at the main school building as well as the conversion of a class room building into a residential unit along with another 16 homes built on the grounds.

The former primary school closed last year as it was amalgamated with Ysgol Nant y Coed to form a new £11.5m super school for the town at Ysgol Awel y Mynydd which opened in September.

Marl county councillor, Mike Priestly, who represents the ward where the development would take place said: “We have a brown filed site with a proposal to deliver affordable houses. A site that’s going  be taking in vulnerable adults which is to be welcomed.

"It should be noted that we have about six units in this ward that are used by social services to house some adults with learning difficulties so I would argue that this scheme would help alleviate that.”

Concerns had been raised about the conservation of the Grade II listed building, with it being seen as an example of Edwardian school architecture.

However councillors also voted unanimously to grant listed building consent as well as planning permission for the housing scheme.