Crickhowell Corn Exchange pub to become shops and flats

A campaign by villagers to convert a former Powys pub into flats and shops to prevent it being turned into a well-known supermarket has been won.

A total of 220 investors have raised £500,000 for a share in The Corn Exchange venture in Crickhowell.

In March 2015, an action group to buy the pub was formed over fears plans for a mini-supermarket would "dramatically" affect the town's independent shops.

Brecon Beacons National Park Authority approved the plans on Tuesday.

Speaking at the meeting, Corn Exchange Crickhowell Ltd managing director Dean Christy said: "What is special about Corn Exchange Crickhowell Ltd is that it is owned mostly by people of Crickhowell who objected to the establishment of a supermarket that would have threatened not only the unique character of the town, but also the existence of the various family owned businesses that have served the town for generations."

After the decision, he said: "This is a giant leap forward. Without planning permission our purchase of The Corn Exchange could not have gone ahead."

He thanked Punch Taverns, the owners of the pub, for supporting the villagers in their bid to buy the pub once they realised the scale of the opposition to the supermarket plan.

Mr Christy added: "We must of course not forget the real stars of this phenomenal initiative and these are our shareholders.

"They invested their hard earned cash and, most importantly, put their faith in a small group of people they had never met or knew anything about."

A spokeswoman from Brecon Beacons National Park Authority said: "Last week the cabinet secretary gave the authority the responsibility to sign off applications for changes to Grade II listed buildings.

"That decision will speed up the process for applicants and this application is one of the first to be considered under this new system and means today's decision does not have to wait to be ratified by Cadw."