PLANS to extend a house in a Pembrokeshire seaside village, which has an associated café which has caused local concerns about noise and disturbance, have been given the go-ahead.
In an application recommended for approval at the June meeting of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park’s development management committee, Amber Maytum, through agent Sureline Design Services Ltd, sought permission for the rebuilding of a ground floor rear extension, the construction of pergola, and associated works at Manorbier House, Manorbier.
The application was for committee decision as local community council Manorbier objected to the application, contrary to an officer recommendation for approval, saying: “It is considered to be a large development on a site that is too small to accommodate such and that proposed alterations are not within the keeping of the community.”
Local residents and nearby business had also raised concerns including it could intensify existing usage for evening and late events at Manorbier House Café, “which have been associated with noise and disturbance, particularly following late finishes to music events,” as well as raising concerns of an impact on residential and visual amenity, increased parking pressures cited as an ongoing concern with the existing café use, and the potential to detract from tourism to Manorbier saying the use of venue “had an impact on the village’s reputation as a peaceful destination with heritage value”.
An officer report said Manorbier House, formerly the Beach Break Café and Chives Tearoom, has been the subject of a number of previous applications, including a 2012 scheme which consented the use of an approved patio as a permanent seasonal tearoom area following a previous two-year temporary approval.
The report said it appeared conditions on that approval, in activities described by local residents and businesses, had been breached which “will be followed up by the Enforcement Section but is a separate matter to this application”.
Of the current scheme, it said amendments removing previously proposed rear dormers and an external fire escape had been submitted, and the amended scheme “would not in and of themselves lead to an intensification in use of the site or be of an overall scale which would be disproportionate to the scale and character of the centre”.
Speaking at the meeting agent Micheal Howlett said the scheme was aimed at “modest improvements” to the building and was “not an application for a change of use or an extension of hours or more events”.
He later said noise concerns would be addressed through a noise management programme; applicant Amber Maytum saying Manorbier House was “predominantly a family home,” and discussions were taking place with licensing officers.
Members unanimously backed the recommendation of approval.
