PLANS to convert part of an Amman Valley chapel into holiday accommodation have been approved by the council.

The plans were submitted by Mr Reading for Bethania chapel on Brynlloi Road, Glanaman. The plans will see part of the Grade II listed building changed from a D1 use to C3 residential. This relates to the vestry.

However, the main part of the chapel will retain its D1 usage and over time, will be developed into an art centre/museum which comes under the retained D1 use of the chapel.

Also included in the plans are some internal renovations including the removal and reuse of the pews.

The chapel and vestry are currently disused, and Mr Reading plans to turn the vestry into a holiday let. The vestry would not have any work done to it externally, with work done internally to put stud partitions to form separate bedroom and bathroom facilities.

The art centre/museum comes from the applicant’s work as an artist and love of The Velvet Underground, with plans for an exhibit at ‘The Velvet Chapel’ of artwork celebrating the band who’s founder John Cale was from Garnant.

On October 2, Carmarthenshire County Council granted listed building consent for the works to be done. There were three conditions put with the approval of the application: that the work is started within five years of the approval date, is done in line with the approved plans and that the artist studio windows and doors must be made of timber to match the Bethania Chapel joinery. Details of their material, design, specification, method of opening and fixing and finish must be submitted to the council’s planning authority and agreed to prior to being carried out.