A CALL to keep a ‘funky’ holiday lodge in woods near a Pembrokeshire village has been turned down, partly over dispute on what constitutes a caravan.
In an application before Pembrokeshire County Council planners, Greg Baker, through agent Hayston Developments & Planning Ltd, sought retrospective permission for the creation of a second tourism unit with a bespoke fixed holiday lodge/hot tub with parking area at Cabin in The Woods, near Woodcocks House, Carmarthen Road, Kilgetty.
Work started on the scheme in April 2023.
A supporting statement through Hayston Developments & Planning Ltd said: “The current application presents a scheme to provide a second bespoke holiday unit on land in our client’s ownership. The application for a second holiday let unit is in response to demand for more ‘funky’ holiday accommodation in Pembrokeshire and the popularity of the Kilgetty area, it being central to many visitor attractions in the county.
“The proposed new development would be sited on land in our client’s ownership and whilst not adjacent to the existing holiday let unit, we believe the site can satisfactorily accommodate the scale of development proposed and by making use of the slope of the site and presenting a high quality design appropriate to its setting, and it would not detract from the semi-rural character and appearance of the locality.
“Further, whilst the proposal now represents a new build development rather than the reuse of an existing building, there is policy support for this type of holiday development expansion in countryside locations.”
It said a previous 1998 application, Woodberry Cottage, has operated as a holiday let for a number of years, adding: “This remains the case and as such, the proposal is still intended to extend and complement the existing holiday letting business on the site.”
The application was refused by county planners on the grounds the scheme “is for self-catering accommodation in the form of a cabin, on the basis of information submitted with the application, this is considered to be a caravan rather than built development, as there is no robust information to demonstrate that it is permanently fixed to the ground”.
It added: “The application site is located in a countryside location outside of any defined settlement boundary. Due to the policy conflict associated with this type of development in a countryside location, the proposal along with its associated development would be unjustified and result in a significant detrimental visual impact on the rural landscape.”
