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Conservation

Posted by Owen Morgan from Robertstown, Aberdare on the 31st March 2017

I've opened this Forum topic for anybody who is concerned about our local historical and natural conservation.

Does anybody know what is to be the fate of the big old Victorian house in between Aberdare Health Centre and the Constitutional Club, on the left by the lights at the top of Canon St.? Lovely old place with a colonnaded porch, on 3 storeys. I've been told it was once used as the former offices of Aberdare Town Council (when there was such a thing). At the moment it's empty and deteriorating- I'd hate it if it came down.

Posted by Valboy7, Newcastle-under-Lyme on the 6th April 2017
The building is a Grade II Listed property   - it was formerly known as the Rates Office - the Council's Finance Office - my sister worked there for many years.  It has been empty for a very long time; but as with all Listed properties there is no onus on the owner to maintain the building.  Details can be found on the link below:                                                                                                                       Exterior

3-storey late Georgian 5-window rendered front with plinth and lst floor sill band; the outer windows are more broadly spaced. Slate roof, tiled cresting and 3 narrow rendered chimney stacks; wide boarded eaves with deep curved brackets. Architraves to l2-pane sash windows and to the small pane tripartite windows at either end on the ground floor. Ionic porch to the 2nd bay; iron columns, dentil cornice, deep boarded fascia and panelled reveals. Cement rendered rear with small pane sash windows; undulating bargeboards to the left end gable which is scribed rendered.

 

https://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/300010852-no-42-high-streetmid-glamorgan-aberdare

 

Posted by Valboy7, Newcastle-under-Lyme on the 6th April 2017

To add to my earlier information this morning it appears the building was vacated during council reorganisation viz. the creation of RCT.  That was in 1996 and the property has never been occupied since.  The Grade II status description omitted to state there was a large cellar to the building but in the 20 years my sister worked there it was unused & poorly maintained.  The building also had problems with its roof and CADW were involved to ensure any repair work would follow the stipulated protocol. 

The 50 page booklet is a very interesting read  - it can be downloaded from the following link:  http://cadw.gov.wales/docs/cadw/publications/urban_character_aberdare_EN.pdf

I am unaware of any future plans for the building but I hope the information I've passed on will be of interest to you.

Posted by Valboy7, Newcastle-under-Lyme on the 8th April 2017

Looking through Planning Applications for 42/43 High Street - came across this application from 200808/0020/12 (The decision was made on 29/06/2010)

Proposed Change of Use from offices to bar/restaurant and second floor flat, demolition of existing rear 2 storey extension and single storey pre-fab annex. Proposed 2 storey extension to rear of property, material improvements to existing elevations and external areas. (Application for Listed Building Consent) | 42-43 HIGH STREET, ABERDARE

Reference

08/0020/12

Application Registered

Thu 10 Jan 2008

Application Validated

Thu 10 Jan 2008

Address

42-43 HIGH STREET, ABERDARE

Proposal

Proposed Change of Use from offices to bar/restaurant and second floor flat, demolition of existing rear 2 storey extension and single storey pre-fab annex. Proposed 2 storey extension to rear of property, material improvements to existing elevations and external areas. (Application for Listed Building Consent)

Status

Decided

Decision

Grant

Decision Issued Date

Tue 29 Jun 2010

Appeal Status

Unknown

Appeal Decision

Not Available

Posted by Owen Morgan, Robertstown, Aberdare on the 20th July 2017

Thanks ValBoy7 , that's what I was told by staff at Vikki Howells' office over the road. relief to know it's not going to be demolished.