THE council has launched an investigation into claims unauthorised changes may have been made to a grade-two listed vicarage in the Amman Valley.

The Former Vicarage, in Twyn, Garnant, was sold by the Church in Wales to Stepping Stones Care Services (South Wales) Ltd last year.

The property is currently under investigation by Carmarthenshire Council officers after an application for an enforcement notice was brought to the local authority.

Director of Stepping Stones, Geoffrey Mackay, said he was unaware of the investigation and that only decorative work had been carried out at the property.

He said his company would be looking into the matter.

Residents in the area said they were unhappy when the church in Wales sold the property for £200,000 last September.

There are also concerns about the fact there has been no change- of-use application filed with the county council.

“There were questions from people locally as to why the church had sold the building to an organisation like this without any prior notice,” said a resident who asked not to be named.

“There has not been a change of use application, they say that’s because they are only using four bedrooms.”

Mr MacKay said: “The council advised that we did not need to apply for a change of use but that is something you will have to ask the council.

“I had no idea about this investigation and it is something we will be looking into.

“There has been no structural work, it’s pure decoration.”

Carmarthenshire Council declined to comment further on the notice, which is posted on its planning website.

A spokesman said while the investigation was in progress the authority could not talk about the investigation itself or on whom had brought the matter to the attention of the authority.

The former vicarage is a detached house 50 metres to the northwest of Christ Church, Garnant.

The church itself, according the Royal Commission of Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales, is a “gothic church built 1832-42 by Robert Ebbels of Wolverhampton.”