Latest from the Brecon and Radnor

Can it be true?
It's on the front page.
"Community centre given go-ahead.
A long delayed youth and community centre in Hay-on-Wye has finally been given the go-ahead."
Which sounds good until you read the second sentence.
"Brecon Beacons National Park Authority's planning committee granted conditional consent for the centre, which will be built on the town's western approach."
It's the 'conditional' that bothers me.

Way back, before the Millennium, Hay needed, and wanted, a new community centre. I know of two consultations that were done, both at great expense. Nothing happened.
One of the sub-committees formed to celebrate the Millennium for Hay was concerned with lobbying for a new community centre, such as the one Clifford had recently gained, but the talks with the County Council petered out.
There were plans for a combined community and sports centre near the doctors' surgery - but the combination complicated the applications for grant money to such an extent that the idea was dropped.
Then, a little over a year ago there was a big meeting in the Parish Hall, with new plans that included a hall with a stage, a cafe, a new school over to one side, moving the council offices into the new building, and a youth centre. There was great support for it, and I remember Mary Fellowes saying that we had to push for this one, because it was going to be the last time for many years that money would be available for such a project.
And everything went quiet again.

Until now, with this piece in the B&R. The plan seems to be the one that was unveiled at that last meeting, with the community centre built next to the doctors' surgery, and partly on their car park - though there is provision in the plans for 163 car parking places to serve a community hall, foyer/cafe, secondary hall, youth lounge, and meeting and office rooms. The plans also incorporate sustainable features such as solar panels to provide hot water.
There have been objectors, of course - there always are. There are those who don't want the doctors' car park to be built over, and those who think that 'troublemakers' will use the footpath round the back of the existing houses and old people's bungalows. Which means 'kids', presumably, as the committee was told that the new centre would provide a focus for the energies of young people, and it was unreasonable to tar all of them with the brush of 'troublemaker'.
Leon Morelli (on behalf of the Sports Association to the back of the doctors' surgery) and Gareth Ratcliffe, are both in favour of the plan, and the plans were passed with a number of requirements to be met, such as the creation of a green travel plan (whatever that is) and something to do with the opening hours of the proposed cafe.

So we'll wait and see....