NEW plans for a former community hospital to be used as an office and warehouse space have been approved by Torfaen council.

The former Blaenavon Hospital in Church Road has been vacant for several years after closing in 2014.

A planning application to use the building as an office and warehouse space by a “small internet business” has now been approved by the council.

A council planning report says: “The submitted application indicates that the existing office building is to be used to provide packing, storage and distribution space for an online parcel courier business, along with ancillary office space, and which began operating from the site during the pandemic when online sales increased.”

A planning application says that the long-term plans are to develop the land with affordable housing.

The site is allocated for 17 houses in Torfaen council’s Local Development Plan.

However a planning report says that no applications have come forward for housing at the site.

The report says plans to change the use of the building, and bring an empty property back into use, is supported by planning policy.

No external changes to the existing building are proposed as part of the application.

The former community hospital, which was managed by Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, closed after services were moved to a new community campus at Middle Coedcae Road in Blaenavon.

A decision notice granting planning permission was issued by Torfaen council on Thursday, January 6.