Plans for offices and family centre at former school in Welshpool

New life will be breathed into a former school that’s set to provide integrated services for families in Welshpool.

Karen Finucane of Newtown Integrated Family Centre has lodged the application on behalf of Powys County Council (PCC).

The change of use planning application to turn the former Oldford Road Nursery and Infants School into offices, a family centre and nursery.

The school was one of three sites in the town, that made up Welshpool Church in Wales Primary School.

The site closed at the end of the autumn term just before Christmas 2020, as all pupils moved over to their new school building on Salop Road which opened in January, this year.

The scheme is explained in a traffic statement lodged with the application.

The statement said: “The only material change of use will occur as a result of the introduction of council offices which are intended to be used by the social services department of the local authority.

“The council offices have been included in this development as the family centre and the social services department often work closely together.

“Operating from the same site will be hugely beneficial to the way in which the staff from both services can interact and manage individual cases.

“It is likely that being located at the same site will result in fewer trips for individuals utilising the services, as well as the staff than if
the uses were located separately elsewhere within the town.”

Currently the site has 11 parking spaces, and this will need to be expanded to 14 to conform with the all-Wales parking standards.

It is expected that visitors to the site would use the nearby Berriew Street public car park.

When completed the site would be known as the Oldford Integrated Family Centre and would provide similar services as the one in Newtown.

The Newtown Integrated Family Centre is described as a “one stop shop” providing services to support families’ learning, social care, and health needs.

The centre provides activities such as parent and toddler groups, baby massage, information, Incredible Years Parenting Training programmes, health advice, family support and counselling.

As the application has been made by PCC – it is expected that councillors on the authority’s planning committee will decide the application at a future meeting.