Agenda item

Farm diversification project for the siting of 4 moveable holiday accommodation units on the land along with 1 moveable unit as shower and toilet facility

 

LOCAL MEMBER: Councillor John Pughe Roberts

 

Link to relevant background documents

 

DECISION: To approve subject to conditions

 

1.         Five years.

2.         In accordance with the revised plans and specialist reports.

3.         Restrict numbers to 4 touring units and 1 touring unit for use as a toilet block.

4.         Holiday season / siting.

5.         Restrict the units for holiday use.

6.         No portable units to be stored on the site outside the season.

7.         Complete the access in accordance with the plans.

8.         No structure will be placed more than 1m within the visibility splay. 

9.         Pollution prevention plan that includes measures to avoid run-off from soil during the construction work.

10.       No tree felling, hedge cutting or clearing of vegetation within the nesting season.

11.       Agree/ lighting management.

12.       Method Plan to transfer hedges and crawiau (slate fences).

13.       Soft and hard landscaping to include details of the permeable hard standing.

14.       Landscape maintenance

15.       Site Management Plan

16.       Welsh name

17.       Welsh language advertisements

 

Notes

 

Licensing

SUDS - Sustainable Drainage Systems

Letters from Natural Resources Wales, Welsh Water

 

Farm diversification scheme for the siting of 4 mobile holiday accommodation units on the land together with one portable unit as a facility for showers and toilets

 

a)                 The Professional Trainee highlighted that an application on this site to change the use of land and develop a new holiday accommodation in the form of 5 permanent glamping pods, had been refused by the Committee at the May 2025 meeting. This application was to change the use of land and develop a new holiday accommodation in the form of 4 mobile holiday accommodation units, as well as 1 portable unit for a shower and toilet facility, associated parking, alterations to the access, drainage and landscaping.

 

It was explained that the site was located in the countryside and within a Special Landscape Area. With the site's topography slanting down from the road towards Afon Dulas, the units would be located on the slope above the river.

 

Attention was drawn to policy TWR 5 which noted that consideration could be given to permitting applications for temporary alternative camping accommodation as long as the proposal complied with the relevant criteria.

 

·        That the proposed development is of high quality in terms of design, layout and appearance, and is sited in an unobtrusive location which is well screened by existing landscape features and/or where touring units can be readily assimilated into the landscape in a way which does not significantly harm the visual quality of the landscape;

 

The applicant intended to position the holiday units on the slope between the river and to the south of the existing track. Given the nature of the units, with a green roof of plants, timber-clad walls, and their location amongst tress / hedges and an existing field, where the land slopes down towards the river, it was considered that the proposal was of a type that could assimilate into the landscape and would not stand out clearly from nearby viewpoints. It was likely that the proposal would be seen from higher grounds further afield from the site, but it was not considered that it would prominently stand out in the landscape making the proposal an obtrusive development in the landscape.

 

·        Avoids too many hard standing areas;

 

The proposal would involve installing 4 units on the site measuring approximately 0.56 hectare and more than 10 metres between each unit, which was considered a low density for the site. There was an intention to create permeable hard areas opposite the holiday units and 4 permeable new parking spaces; the proposal managed to avoid too many hard standing areas

 

·        Its physical connection with the ground is limited and it can be removed from the site during the closed season;

 

The holiday accommodation units are portable units as well as the toilets and showers unit, therefore any physical contact with the ground would be minimal.  A Storage Plan had been submitted with the application that confirmed the off-site storage arrangements for the units out of season.

 

·        Any associated facilities, if possible, should be located in an existing building or as an extension to existing facilities. If there are no suitable buildings available, the need for additional facilities must be shown clearly, and they must be proportional to the scale of the development;

 

It was believed that the need for one mobile unit for shower and toilet facilities had been established, and adding the showers and toilets unit to the holiday units would be proportional with the scale of the development, considering its location and setting within the landscape.

 

·        That the site is close to the main roads network and that adequate access can be provided without significantly harming the landscape characteristics and features;

 

It was explained that access to the site was from a third-class road, situated to the north of the site; the site was close to the main roads network and following the alterations to widen the entrance and re-plant the hedge, the access was considered sufficient and did not significantly harm the features and character of the landscape.

 

·        The development's occupancy is restricted to holiday use only;

 

The proposal relates to installing mobile holiday units. Conditions can be imposed to ensure that the development's occupancy is restricted to holiday use only.

 

·        That the site is used for touring purposes only and that any units are removed from the site during periods when not in use.

 

It was reported that the applicant's intention was to move the units out of the holiday season for storage on another site when they are not in use. It was elaborated that a condition can be imposed on any permission so that the units are removed from the site outside the operational period.

 

It was considered that the proposal was acceptable on the grounds of location, setting, scale and its impact on visual amenities in the local area and to this end, it is acceptable, subject to imposing appropriate conditions, and complies with all the requirements of Policy TWR 5 of the LDP.

 

In the context of general and residential amenities, it was noted that the nearest dwelling-house to the site (Pandy) was located at the end of the track which would be used by the users of the proposed holiday units and more or less abutted the application site's southern boundary. Currently, this dwelling house is surrounded by agricultural fields and the river and is in a relatively private and quiet location. Observations received from the objectors were acknowledged.

 

A new alternative camping site in this location would have the potential to cause an unacceptable impact on Pandy due to increased activity, noise and disturbance by visitors. It was expressed that the nature of holiday use involved different movements to permanent residential units, with visitors more likely to keep different hours to permanent neighbouring residents, with early morning and late-night activity, as well as use during daytime hours. As a result of the changes, with a substantial planting and landscaping plan to create a screen and a green zone to mitigate noise and lighting, the Management Plan to control activity on the site and the seasonal use of the site, it was considered that there would not be a significant detrimental impact; the proposal was acceptable in terms of criterion 7 of Policy PCYFF 2 of the LDP.

 

It was confirmed that highways, biodiversity, archaeological, sustainability, flooding, drainage and linguistic matters had been fully addressed. It was considered that the proposal complied with the requirements of local and national policies and the officers recommended approving the application subject to imposing relevant conditions.

 

b)           Taking advantage of the right to speak, the applicant made the following observations;

·         This was a small farm – had been in the same family for three generations

·         Thanked the Members' support for their observations at the May 2025 meeting

·         Following the observations, and after receiving guidance, the development had been adapted as a mobile holiday accommodation application and complied with local policies

·         As a young Welsh family, they intended to stay in Corris and bring up a family

·         There were limited opportunities in the area

·         The enterprise would support the local economy

·         The application was fully supported – no objections

 

c)           Taking advantage of the right to speak, the Local Member made the following observations:

·         Supported the application – admired young people who wanted to develop a business in the area

·         A substantial investment had been made

·         A full consultation had not been held when establishing the Special Landscape Area (SLA) – this raised concern about the impact of future developments. Corris was an industrial area

·         There was a need for this type of development locally

·         It would be a boost to improve tourism

·         The Community Council supported the application

·         No further reason to object

 

d)           It was proposed and seconded to approve the application

 

e)           During the ensuing discussion, the following observations were made by Members:

·         Farmers were under pressure to diversify

·         The SLA's intention was to prevent large applications at the National Park boundary – this was a very small development

·         A piece of agricultural land far from the farm's occupancy – a good use for the development

·         Welcomed the alterations to the plan which now complied with relevant policies

·         A nice, unobtrusive, accessible location with a footpath nearby

·         The Community Council unanimously supported the application – there was a real need for holiday accommodation in the area – brought benefit to the local economy

·         It would allow the family to stay in the area

 

RESOLVED

To approve subject to conditions

 

1.         Five years.

2.         In accordance with the revised plans and specialist reports.

3.         Restrict the numbers to 4 touring units and 1 portable unit for use as a toilet block

4.         Holiday season / siting

5.         Restrict the units for holiday use.

6.         No portable units to be stored on the site outside the season

7.         Complete the access in accordance with the plans

8.         No structure of more than 1m may be placed within the visibility splay. 

9.         Pollution prevention plan that includes measures to avoid run-off from soil during the construction work.

10.       No tree felling, hedge cutting or clearing of vegetation within the nesting season.

11.       Agree lighting management.

12.       Method Plan for translocating hedges and crawiau (slate fences).

13.       Soft and hard landscaping to include details of the permeable hard standing

14.       Landscape maintenance

15.       Site Management Plan

16.       Welsh name

17.       Welsh language advertisements

18.       Install opaque glass in the first-floor windows in the proposed rear extension.

 

Notes

 

Licensing

SUDS – Sustainable drainage

Natural Resources Wales, Welsh Water letters