Plans to change an empty Trefechan shop into a new home have been refused by council planners over flooding fears.

The application would have seen Zidon House on Penparcau Road opposite the Aberystwyth fire station changed into a home with new windows and door to the front.

The site previously secured permission for the change of use from retail to residential use in 2005, but that permission was never developed, documents say.

This fresh application, despite being acceptable to council planners in terms of use, has fallen foul of tougher flooding requirements.

“Flood risk to the property has formed a key part of the assessment of this change of use from retail to residential, the latter being a highly vulnerable form of development,” a planning report said.

Natural Resources Wales expressed concerns relating to flooding as “the site was shown to flood in the 0.5% Annual Probability of Flooding (APF) Scenario”.

Council planners turned down the scheme under delegated powers last week.