Planners reject log cabin production site plans

Powys County Council planners have rejected a retrospective planning application for a log cabin construction company near Welshpool leaving the future of the business in doubt.
Welshpool farmer Nick Jones has been operating the log cabin business at Gaer Farm, Golfa without planning consent and has been seeking retrospective planning permission.
Mr Jones was seeking change of use of part of an agricultural building to enable the construction of log cabins and change of use of an agricultural building to a sawmill. The changes have already taken place.

The County Council’s Highways Department opposed the application on highway grounds stating that the location was on the C2045 Class 3 road - a narrow single carriageway with infrequent passing bays. A report said the application was devoid of highway detail.

Access to the development had been constructed without planning consent and an area of around 2.5 acres was being used as a timber yard in connection with the proposed Change of Use yet was not included in the application site.

No detail of the timber yard and its access onto the C2045 has been submitted for consideration.

The report added that a range of buildings have been constructed to the south of the C2045 opposite the timber yard with a new access, which the HA are unable to find any planning consent for these buildings.

“We note the applicant states that the site previously operated as a storage and distribution centre for the sale of hay and straw. We further note that no Change of Use in this relation was ever obtained from the LPA. Hearsay evidence suggests that the hay and straw business ceased several years ago,” said the report.

“It is considered that the application provides insufficient information to confirm that the proposed development would not have a detrimental impact upon highway safety.

“In light of the above, it is considered that application fails to demonstrate that a safe access and egress can be achieved to and from the application site and fails to demonstrate the proposed development would not cause a detrimental impact upon highway safety.

“The proposed development therefore fails to comply with policies PPW, TAN 18, DM13 (Part 10) and T1.”