Newtown cafe plan scaled back amid rival trader objections

The cafe is proposed as part of a "riverside destination play park"

A cafe at the centre of a £1.5m community attraction in Powys has been scaled back amid objections from rival traders.

Open Newtown wants to replace the former Radio Hafren building with a "riverside destination play park" offering canoe and cycle hire.

Proposals for a cafe with 178 seats prompted objections from existing food traders fearing a loss of business.

Agents for the scheme said the seating had since been reduced to 25.

The project is backed by a community trust, set up to regenerate more than 130 acres (53 hectares) of land in Newtown leased from Powys County Council.

In 2018, it won a lottery grant of £1.1m to fund its activities.

The former studios of Radio Hafren - which closed in 2015 - will be demolished under the plans

However, Newtown East councillor Joy Jones demanded the "potentially controversial" scheme be called in for a decision by the planning committee, saying local traders had voiced concern.

Planning and development consultants Asbri, acting as agents for Open Newtown, said they "acknowledged and appreciated" objections from the town's chamber of trade.

"The originally submitted drawings were somewhat misrepresentative of the proposed development in respect of the cafe," it said.

"We are aware of concerns that local cafes may be adversely affected.

"With the venue offering an additional facility to the town centre, and with the capacity to attract new users to the town centre, we feel this is unlikely.

"However, we have amended the plans to reflect these concerns."

A revised version of the proposals describes a seating area outside the two-storey venue as a picnic terrace, rather than part of the cafe, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Councillors are expected to make a decision on the plans in the coming months.