PLANS for a Montessori-style nursery in a town square former chapel have been rejected over concerns about road safety and noise.

The application for change of use permission for the ground floor of the Tywyn Square chapel in Usk was recommended for approval by Monmouthshire Council planning officers.

But councillors said they couldn’t overcome concerns around parking and the impact on residents living in flats on the floor above the converted Congregational chapel, which dates back to 1769 and was rebuilt in the Gothic style in 1862.

Usk ward councillor Tony Kear told the planning committee: “Would I want 24 children and six adults beneath my bedroom? The answer is no.”

The chapel, which was able to accommodate 400 worshippers, was most recently used as an office and art gallery.

But Wiktoria Debska, of Griffithstown, Pontypool, applied for change of use permission in January.

In Montessori settings, children are free to move around the prepared environment, work where they feel they will learn best, and discover learning outcomes through hands-on experience, with youngsters “guided rather than instructed” by teachers.

The nursery has already been partially run there, but the committee was told that should make no difference to how they considered the application.

Monmouthshire Council’s planning department received 17 objections to the proposal and 27 comments in support.

The proposed hours were 6am to 8pm, Monday to Friday.

Conservative Cllr Kear said some residents feared they would have to move due to noise, while Goytre Fawr member Jan Butler (Welsh Con) said those living above the chapel had bought their homes “believing this property beneath them was an office space”.

A transport statement said drop off and collection for children at the building on the junction of the square, which has double yellow lines, would be managed.

But Cllr Rachel Buckler (Devauden, Welsh Con) said: “Obviously parents will try and get as close as possible to park – they are under great pressure and can’t spend half an hour finding a parking space.”

Mitchell Troy and Trellech ward member Jayne McKenna (Welsh Con) said the chapel was on a “very difficult junction to get out of” and a nursery could involve visits by up to 60 vehicles a day.

She also questioned if taxis would be used to deliver children with additional learning needs and asked: “Are we really expecting taxi drivers to park in the Coop car park as you can never get in the Tywyn Square car park?”

Planning officer Andrew Jones said there was no objection from highways and officers considered the change in use to be more of a change to traffic than a significant increase.

He also reminded councillors they were only to consider the use of the building with issues such as safeguarding of children and management of the nursery regulated by Care Inspectorate Wales.

On noise, he said insulation between the floors would be installed which would reduce sound.

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But the committee voted 10-6 against approving the application, and deferred it to their next meeting for a report citing reasons for refusal on highway safety grounds and loss of amenity for neighbours.