A derelict plot in Hirael that has blighted the neighbourhood for years could be transformed into much‑needed affordable housing if councillors give the green light.
Proposal from Adra targets social and intermediate rent
Cyngor Gwynedd is due to consider a full planning application from Adra Housing Association to build 24 residential units on the former Jewson/Penlon Works site. The application, submitted by G Davies‑Jones and lodged through Mango Planning & Development Ltd, describes the land as a 0.56 hectare brownfield plot that is currently overgrown and surrounded by established housing.
The site sits within a pocket of streets close to the city centre, with the High Street and Strand Street forming the south‑eastern boundary. Fountain Street lies to the north, Ambrose Street to the west and Penlon Gardens to the south. Plans note the former commercial buildings on the site have been demolished and the area remains an open, dormant space.
Mix of homes aimed at local need
The proposed development is focused on social and intermediate rental accommodation. The application sets out the detailed unit mix, which includes a range of one, two, three and one larger family home. Officers say the scheme would support housing for local people.
“This affordable housing mix would assist a total of 73 Gwynedd people in a new dwelling.”
The submission emphasises the site’s context as an island of vacant land within a residential area, and frames the proposal as an opportunity to make productive use of previously developed land close to amenities and transport routes.
- Applicant: Adra Housing Association (via G Davies‑Jones)
- Agent: Mango Planning & Development Ltd (Rhodri Williams)
- Site area: 0.56 hectares
- Proposed units: 24 social and intermediate rental homes
Unit breakdown
The planning documents provide a clear breakdown of the homes proposed. The social and intermediate elements are described separately.
| Tenure | Unit type | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Social rental | 1‑bed, 2‑person flat | 12 |
| Social rental | 2‑bed, 3‑person flat | 2 |
| Social rental | 2‑bed, 3‑person house | 3 |
| Social rental | 4‑bed, 7‑person house | 1 |
| Intermediate rental | 2‑bed, 4‑person house | 3 |
| Intermediate rental | 3‑bed, 5‑person house | 3 |
In total, the scheme would deliver 24 dwellings across the two tenures. The application states the mix would help 73 Gwynedd residents secure new homes — a figure calculated by the number of bedrooms and assumed household sizes in the planning submission.
Local history and context
Residents will recall the site’s chequered recent past. Former builder’s merchant structures were removed some time ago, and the vacant land has at times become overgrown. Planning activity on the site is not new; it has been subject to several proposals over the years. The site also featured in a police investigation when a cannabis factory was uncovered in the former buildings, an episode that underlined the need for the area to be properly secured and brought back into beneficial use.
Neighbours and ward councillors will now have the opportunity to review the detailed proposals during the planning process. The application includes landscaping, access and parking arrangements intended to integrate the new development with the surrounding streetscape.
If approved, the scheme would represent a substantial change for Hirael: turning an under‑used brownfield plot into a managed housing development aimed at local people on social and intermediate rents.
Cyngor Gwynedd officers are due to consider the application in the coming weeks. Any decision will determine whether this long‑standing gap in the urban fabric might finally be filled.
