Treehouse man bidding to keep former rural retreat

At a trial at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court earlier this year, Eddie McIntosh was found guilty of 18 charges under the town and country planning act.

The council had issued the enforcement notices against Mr McIntosh.

The council said the wooden structures he had built at his Mellowcroft farm at Llandegley, Llandrindod Wells, to create a rural retreat that also offered alternative therapy and off-grid holiday accommodation, did not have planning permission.

Mr McIntosh has now applied for retrospective planning permission to turn these buildings into five agricultural buildings.

The application has been called in front of tomorrow’s  Thursday’s planning committee meeting, by the local member, Councillor Martin Weale.

Principal planning officer, Gemma Bufton, said: “Members are advised that there is a current enforcement notice on the land. The enforcement notice among a number of requirements seeks to remove the buildings/structures off the land.

“This application seeks, retrospectively, planning permission for five of the structures and to re-purpose them for agricultural uses.

“It is considered that the principle of agricultural buildings within an agricultural agricultural unit fundamentally complies with relevant planning policy.”

The report adds that the highest building is 7.5 metres in height with the other buildings measuring four metres and under.

These would mostly be screened from the A44 road, by trees.

Penybont and District Community Council said that they supported the application but “hoped” that the use could be monitored.

The application has also received eight letters of support.

Ms Bufton added: “It is therefore considered that the proposed development fundamentally complies with relevant planning policy and the recommendation is one of conditional consent.”

Back in 2012 Mellowcroft once featured on  an episode of Channel 4 series Kevin McCloud’s Man Made Home.