CONDITIONAL planning permission has been granted for the demolition of a 1930s art deco house in Rhos-on-Sea.

Developers Commercial Development Management announced proposals in October for the property, at 57 Marine Drive, to be knocked down and replaced with five apartments and a car parking space.

At a planning meeting on January 12, members of Conwy County Borough Council voted 9-3 in favour of the demolition, despite widespread objections to the plans from elsewhere.

An attempt to have the property become a listed building previously failed after Cadw, a Welsh Government service protecting historic buildings and structures, found it did not meet the full listing criteria.

At the meeting, Martin Austin, who set up the Conwy County Heritage Watch group, spoke against the demolition, calling for the building to be preserved and locally listed.

He said: “The heritage report produced by Cadnant Planning (which largely formed the basis for Cadw's report) has been criticised by a number of heritage groups including The Twentieth Century Society for seriously undervaluing the significance of the building.

"Cadnant Planning had two heritage reports. The first one, they withdrew when we criticised that it was, in fact, in favour of the developer. They edited it and submitted the second report, which is currently being used.”

Eleanor Carpenter, senior planner and heritage consultant at Cadnant Planning, spoke in favour of the building's demolition at the meeting.

She said: “Despite some of the comments made publicly, the Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) is based on a significant amount of archival research, and does contain a factual report on the building and its condition.

“The building has suffered considerable lack of repair and maintenance by the previous owners over many years. Neglect of the building has, unfortunately, meant that all weather protection offered to the building has failed.

"This is not an acute issue with a short fix. It's been happening for many years and is irreversible at this stage of this building's life.

“The HIA identifies that, while of an interesting form, the house has unfortunately lost most of its character, both internally and externally.

“On balance, the heritage report identifies that it is appropriate, unforutantely in this instance, to demolish the property and erect a replacement in an art deco style, which it very much is now.”

The art deco house was also subject to a visit from council representatives the previous day (January 11).

Councillors Ken Stevens and Ifor Lloyd both took part in that visit, and both spoke in favour of its demolition.

Cllr Stevens (Pant yr Afon/Penmaenan ward) said: "I found it rather sad yesterday when we went to see this building.

"It's quite clear that, some time in the past, it was an iconic art deco building, but I think it’s a long time since that train left the station.

"What we saw was a husk. The inside has been gutted, the ceilings are falling down, there are cracks in the rendering everywhere.

"I think the time when this could have been saved has long gone."

Cllr Lloyd (Betws yn Rhos ward) added: "I, too, was on the visit yesterday, and it does make my heart bleed when you see an iconic-looking building like this so delapidated.

"I saw the structural cracks from the foundations as well, so it does break my heart, but this kind of building is unsafe.

"On health and safety grounds, if nothing else, we'd have to look at doing something with it, and if it's to be replaced with five properties, so be it."

Councillors Trevor Stott and Pauline Heap-Williams were among the three members to vote against its demolition.

Cllr Stott (Rhiw ward) said: “While I agree there were some problems with the internal (of the house), we’ve still got to remember the overall appearance.

“This is a heritage asset. It’s been supported by all the heritage consultees that have been approached, and if you look at the objections to this application, they are all to do with the demolition of a heritage asset. This building is of importance.

“This would be a very, very sad loss to Rhos-on-Sea and to Conwy if this building was allowed to be demolished. Therefore, I cannot support an application that includes the demolition of a heritage asset.”

Cllr Heap-Williams (Gele ward) added: “I agree with Cllr Trevor; I do think it’s a heritage property. It probably comes as no surprise to the planning officers, because I am a historian, and try to protect our buildings.

“There has been no report of the structural (issues) even though people say it appears to be falling down. Whether it is, we don’t know for sure.”

Clwyd West MS, Darren Millar, who has been supporting plans to save the property, expressed his disappointment that planning permission was granted for its demolition.

Mr Millar had also previously sent a letter to the Welsh Government’s deputy minister for arts and sport, Dawn Bowden, asking her to intervene to prevent the building from being lost.

He said: “It is a tragedy that, despite the strong case put forward for this prominent local building to be safeguarded, permission has now been granted to knock it down.

“As I stressed to the deputy minister for arts and sport, while the building is not yet listed, as few 20th century buildings are, it is included on the National Monuments Record of Wales (NMRW), which indicates the importance of the property to both local and national heritage here in Wales.

“This has been totally disregarded and I, like many others, am saddened that Rhos-on-Sea will now lose this iconic, much-loved building.

“We should be doing everything we can to protect such architecturally impressive buildings, not bulldozing them.”

The property, a large art deco private home, is situated on the route of the Rhos-on-Sea Heritage Walk on the promenade.

After a full Cadw inspection took place on November 10, the report also found that the building it was more likely the design of Mr William Evans, a builder who acquired the property in March 1935.

Previously, it was considered the work of architect Sidney Colwyn Foulkes, who was born and raised in Colwyn Bay, but the assessment could not find evidence to support this.

The Twentieth Century Society, a charity campaigning for the preservation of 20th-century architecture, also submitted a written objection to the plans to Conwy County Borough Council.

Mr Austin started a petition to try and save the house, which earned 790 signatures (www.ipetitions.com/petition/conwy-council-reject-the-application-to-demolish).

The Welsh comedian, writer and presenter, Griff Rhys Jones OBE, and Baroness Joan Bakewell, had also shared their support for the campaign to preserve the building.