PLANS to transform part a disused factory into a café and children’s play area have been thrown out by Newport council.

Members of the planning committee said the application for the Avana Bakeries site in Rogerstone lacked adequate parking for prospective customers.

Concerns were also raised about pedestrian safety, with toddlers and parents expected to use what offices described as a “poor quality” footpath at the Wern Industrial Estate.

The proposals sought to convert the former ‘potato room’ into a café with a child’s play area, kitchen, store rooms, reception, toilets and offices.

Rogerstone councillor Yvonne Forsey welcomed the application, adding that there had been no local objections to the scheme.

“This property has been empty for some time now since Avana left,” said Cllr Forsey.

“It’s welcome that something is happening here, and that part of the industrial estate seems to be moving towards a more social use with Tiny Rebel and the Faith Church.

“It’s very close to the centre of Rogerstone and many people living in that area will be able to talk to this area.”

The facility had hoped to address a lack of indoor children’s play areas in the western area of Newport, according to a report.

But Councillor David Fouweather said planning officers were “absolutely right” to recommend that the scheme be refused.

A total of 24 spaces would be provided with the scheme but 18 were positioned at the back of the building, which officers described as being too “remote” from the proposed café.

“If they want to develop they need to move the parking so its nearer to the building as some of those families would be walking along that area, and there could be quite a bad accident there,” said Cllr Fouweather.

The meeting heard that the applicants would only have control of the building itself, and that the site’s roads would still be used by industrial vehicles.

Councillor Graham Berry said: “It always concerns me when you mix children and industrial activity.”

An application to convert the bakery’s canteen into a gym was rejected by the committee in August for the same reasons around public safety.

READ MORE: Gym plans for Avana Bakeries' former canteen thrown out by councillors

Speaking on Wednesday, planning officer Stephen Williams reminded councillors to treat each individual application by its own merits, but that they had to be “consistent” in their judgement.