A GRADE II* listed barn and Industrial Revolution relic in Nantyglo will be turned into bed and breakfast holiday homes after councillors approved plans yesterday.

The 18th century Roundhouse Farm in Nantyglo is home to the Round Towers – the last private castle built in Britain in order to protect industrialists from a potential worker’s revolt.

Yesterday Blaenau Gwent council’s planning committee debated whether to allow the owners of the barn to turn it into three holiday homes.

Despite opposition from 80 members of a local history and archaeological society opposing the proposals, as well as Nantyglo and Blaina town council, councillors voted unanimously for the plan.

The owners of the farm want to turn part of the two-storey stone barn into three holiday units. Two of the holiday homes will contain an open-plan lounge, kitchen and dining area on the ground floor and two bedrooms and a bathroom on the first floor. The third unit will be smaller and only have one bedroom.

All of the windows and doors which were part of the original building will be re-introduced.

Councillor John Williams, on the planning committee, said: “I would support it 100 per cent.

“We have got objections to the redevelopment of it. But for the life of me I can’t see why we are getting these objections.

“One person has written in on behalf of 80 objections. I can’t believe it. If we don’t do something with that building we are going to lose it forever.

“I ask chair that our planning people put this plan on the table with our regeneration team or leisure. This site qualifies for heritage funding.”

Councillor Kevin Brown said in the meeting: “I agree but I’m mindful that if we give this application approval today for this section of the building, if another section comes up we need to give it similar approval.”

The report had urged councillors to approve the application. It said: “There are a number of examples of buildings in the borough that are falling into disrepair to the point of endangering their very existence because a viable use has not been found.

“The public benefit of securing the future of the building outweighs any negligible “harm” to the original fabric.”