Newport City Council has received a planning bid to transform an empty shop into extra accommodation space.

The plans focus on the ground level of the building at 61 Bristol Street, which spans two floors and currently features an unoccupied commercial unit at the front.

Permission is being sought to repurpose the roughly 28-square-metre retail area from commercial (A1) classification to residential (C3) use, merging it with the current dwelling.

The applicant stated that the property falls within Flood Zone 3 according to Natural Resources Wales planning flood maps.

They explained that the scheme involves converting the existing ground-floor retail space to residential purposes as part of the current home.

No building extensions or increases to the structure’s footprint are included in the plans, nor are any external modifications proposed.

The vacant shop would link up with the present living room and kitchen located at the back of the home, while the upper floor would stay as it is.

According to the applicant, their family has owned the property since 1982 and, to their awareness, it has never suffered flooding during that period.

They contend that the plans would not heighten flood risk, since they do not entail reducing floor heights or enlarging the building’s footprint.