Issue - meetings

Retrospective application to convert an outbuilding to holiday let. 

LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor Elwyn Jones

Link to relevant background documents

DECISION: Conduct a site visit

Retrospective application to convert an outbuilding to a holiday let.

Attention was drawn to the late observations form which included a response to concerns about the development in the context of the quality and safety of the construction work, how the building can be used without planning permission and whether appropriate insurance was in place.

a)         The Planning Manager highlighted that this was a retrospective application to convert an outbuilding to a holiday let. Because the above proposal had already been completed without planning permission, a retrospective application was submitted. It was explained that the unit had been an outbuilding which was being used as an ancillary use to the Plas Coch property. The outbuilding had now been renovated and converted into one modern holiday unit.

It was highlighted that the principle of the proposal was assessed against policy TWR 2 'Holiday Accommodation' in the Local Development Plan (LDP) that permitted proposals that involved the provision of self-serviced holiday accommodation provided the proposal complied with a series of criteria, i.e.:

                  i.         In the case of new build accommodation, that the development is located within a development boundary, or makes use of a suitable previously developed site;

                 ii.        That the scale of the proposed development is appropriate given the site, the location and/or the dwelling in question;

                iii.        That the proposal will not result in a loss of permanent housing stock; 

                iv.        That the development is not sited within a primarily residential area or does not significantly harm the residential character of an area; 

                 v.         That the development does not lead to an over-concentration of such accommodation within the area.

When considering the criteria, it was noted that the building already existed and was not a new building - it made good use of a building that had been used as ancillary to the residential property.  The building was located within the curtilage of the existing property and therefore made use of a suitable previously developed site. It was believed that the scale was reasonable as it did not create a holiday let that was excessively large, and because the unit was already being used as an outbuilding it did not lead to the loss of permanent housing stock. It was added that the unit was located in a rural area close to individual dwellings that were scattered around, and as such it did not cause significant harm to the area's residential character as there were scattered residential dwellings around the location.

It was noted that any application to convert existing buildings should include a full structural survey report by a qualified person noting that the building would be structurally sound for conversion without requiring substantial reconstruction, adaptations or extensions. It was noted that no structural report had been included to accompany the application as the property had already been converted - there was no value to a structural report as the changes had already been completed on the site.

There was a reference to paragraph 3.2.1 TAN 23: Economic Development,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6