PLANS to demolish a former Kwik Save store to make way for social housing have been unanimously approved by councillors.

Cartrefi Cymunedol Gwynedd (CCG) has applied for planning permission to transform the former supermarket on the lower end of Bangor High Street into nine apartments that would be offered as rental homes.

The building, which most recently housed a children’s play facility, will be knocked down and turned into three one-bedroom apartments and six two-bedroom apartments, including on-site parking.

This afternoon, meeting in Pwllheli, councillors unanimously approved the develpment.

Although the plans were originally for 10 apartments, CCG agreed to limit the building to three storeys after consulting with Gwynedd council planners.

Addressing planning committee members, Cllr Keith Jones said: “I think this is something that should be accepted, and will help alleviate the housing waiting list in Hirael.”

The design and access statement accompanying the application noted: “The proposed development provides 100% affordable housing in the form of nine apartments.

“With all nine units being affordable as social rented housing, it is considered that the proposal is in compliance with the development plan policies.

“An assessment of the current social rented housing stock in Bangor demonstrates that there is a very high demand for additional affordable housing units, with there being 509 applicants in the Hirael area alone.

“CCG currently has 6,287 affordable rented homes, 1,583 of these are located within the eight electoral wards of Bangor, but only 122 of these are located within the Hirael ward.

“Given the need for housing in the Hirael area (509 applicants), there is a very high demand for additional affordable housing units.

“The nine additional housing units proposed for this site could allow the applicant to relocate the tenants of the under-occupied houses to the proposed development, which would allow the release of 3 or 4-bedroom dwellings for social rent in Bangor whilst ensuring the tenants are not penalised by the ‘bedroom tax’.”

The former Kwik Save store was one of scores to shut across the country when the budget supermarket firm went into administration in 2007.

It had been founded in 1959 as Value Foods by entrepreneur Albert Gubay and had its main base in Prestatyn.