LAND to build homes on in Welshpool is like gold dust, according to county councillors.

At a meeting of the Health, Care and Housing Scrutiny Committee on Wednesday, councillors were told that both Affordable Homes and Extra Care schemes were needed in the town.

An Extra Care scheme is being discussed for Neuadd Maldwyn while it is possible that the Ardwyn, Gungrog and Oldford school buildings would be sites for redevelopment in the future.

This is after the new Church in Wales Primary School next to Welshpool High School is completed and redeveloping the former Maesydre school to become the home of the Welsh-medium primary school, Ysgol Gymraeg Y Trallwng, is completed.

Cllr Phil Pritchard (Independent – Welshpool Oldford) said: “I don’t really believe that Neuadd Maldwyn will be the answer to our prayers.

“It’s a good scheme for the over 55s, but the bigger need in Welshpool is to have one-bedroom accommodation for younger people.

“It’s all very well saying that we’re going to build this or that but if it’s not going to satisfy the need, there’s a big question.

“They are the only sites in Welshpool that we will see for the next 100 years at least – unless the whole lot floods and we end up on the mountains.

“If we don’t reserve those sites for housing and particular social housing, not for a developer to make big bucks out of, then we will miss a big opportunity.”

Service manager housing solutions, Dafydd Evans, replied: “Welshpool has a number of different needs. There is a high need for extra care housing that’s been identified.

“Presentations of homelessness in Welshpool are some of the highest in the county.

“I can assure you we have put our names down for the sites identified, but there are a lot of needs that the Council has to address.

“As a housing service we are making it very clear there’s a real demand for housing in Welshpool.”

Affordable homes officer, Terry Flynn, added: “Mid-Wales Housing (social housing association) has been allocated nearly £7 million and a fairly large chunk of that is going in to two sites in Welshpool.

“We are trying to address not only the number but the type of need.”

The discussion was part of a briefing on where the Housing Service stands in its proposals to develop 250 affordable homes in the county by 2023.

The development programme will be taken in front of the Cabinet for approval and comments from the scrutiny meeting will be included.

Meanwhile, news that Neuadd Maldwyn was set to become an Extra Care facility for the over 55s was welcomed by Powys County Councillor Graham Breeze who described it as “fantastic news for Welshpool”.

“This development is the best possible news for Welshpool and while delicate negotiations have been taking place it has been difficult not being able to let people know about the scheme,” he said.

“This scheme offers Powys County Council the opportunity to utilise Welsh Government funding while at the same time making use of an extremely problematic listed building which is no longer fit for purpose.

“This development of additional care homes is fantastic news.”