PLANS by a Pembrokeshire council officer and senior college member of staff to expand a holiday operation which was voted as the best of its type in the UK by the Caravan Club in its very first year of operation have been submitted to the national park.
In an application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Dean and Sharon Philpin seek permission to expand the existing holiday operation at Woody Kiln Farm, Herbrandston Village, Herbrandston by converting a former agricultural barn to four short-term holiday lets.
A supporting statement through agent Hayston Developments & Planning Ltd says: “Woody Kiln Farm is located to the east of Herbrandston village, to the south easterly side of Havens Park residential estate. It is a registered agricultural holding and the land is used mainly for the raising and grazing of sheep covering 12 / 13 acres.
“The farm complex comprises of a number of traditional outbuildings and the applicants main dwelling surrounding a surfaced courtyard. Immediately to the south is a caravan site registered with the Caravan & Motorhome Club as a Certificated Location for up to five touring caravans and motorhomes.
“This Certificated Location has been in operation for 10 years and was the first ever site to be voted the best site in UK on its first year of operating by its members. In recent years it was voted best site in Wales.”
The site has won many similar Certificated Location awards.
It adds: “The farm is in the ownership of the applicants with Mr Dean Philpin having inherited it from his father in 2017 who has semi-retired from agriculture. With Mr Philpin Senior’s guidance, Mr Philpin Junior and Mrs Philpin manage the farm on a part time basis.
“Mr Philpin works full time as the ‘Finance Manager for Education and Schools’ in Pembrokeshire County Council, whilst Mrs Philpin is the Section Lead for Heath, Childcare and Commercial Enterprise at Pembrokeshire College. Mrs Philpin has over 25 years’ experience in running a commercial enterprise.
“This led to conversion of another stone barn to ‘The Retreat Hair & Beauty’ salon. This was approved in 2018 and has been operating since 2019, and has been a very successful live / work premises utilising a redundant farm building.”
It went on to say: “The application proposal relates to a total of three barns that integrate into one building footprint. It is intended to reuse the barns and provide four short term holiday let units that will be run in conjunction with our client’s current Caravan Club site, situated immediately to the east of the barns.”
It was described as: “A sympathetic design that incorporates no change to the footprint or roof design and little change to the fenestration is the main theme of the design strategy.”
The scheme will be considered by park planners at a later date.
