Issue - meetings

Retrospective application to convert an outbuilding to holiday let

Local Member: Councillor Elwyn Jones

Link to relevant background documents

DECISION: To defer in order to host further discussions with the applicant

-       need to discuss the mitigation measures to reduce the development's impact on residential amenities in terms of disturbance and privacy

Retrospective application to convert an outbuilding to a holiday let.

Some of Members had visited the site on the morning of 05-02-2024.

a)             The Planning Manager highlighted that this was a full retrospective application to convert an outbuilding to a holiday let. ⁠As the proposal had already been completed without planning permission, a retrospective application had been 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. A decision on the application was deferred at the Planning Committee on 15-01-24 for Members to visit the site.

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. ⁠

⁠In considering the criteria, it was noted that the building already existed and was not a new building - it was located within the curtilage of the existing property and made good use of a used building that was ancillary to the residential property.  It was considered that the scale was appropriate as it did not create a holiday let that was excessively large, and as the unit was already being used as an outbuilding it did not lead to the loss of permanent housing stock. It was reiterated that the unit was located in a rural area near individual scattered houses, and as a result would not cause significant damage to the residential character of the area as it was a sprawling residential housing location.

It was highlighted that any application to convert an existing building should include a full structural survey by a qualified person indicating that the building would be structurally suitable for conversion without undertaking substantial reconstruction, alterations and extensions. ⁠ It was noted that no structural report had been included with the application as the property had already been converted - there was no value to a structural report as the alterations had already been completed on site.

There was a reference to paragraph 3.2.1 TAN 23: Economic Development, which noted that the re-use and adaptation of existing rural buildings had an important role to play in meeting the needs of rural areas for commercial and industrial development, and tourism, sport and recreation. It was emphasised that the building in question needed to be suitable for use.

When considering over-concentration and responding to the criterion - "that the development would not lead to an over-concentration of such accommodation in the area", it was highlighted that it should be ensured that a Business Plan was submitted as part of the application to include the necessary information in terms of the vision for the proposal and to ensure there was a market for this type of use (paragraph 6.3.67 of the LDP). It was noted that a Business Plan had been  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7