Wedding marquee decision deferred

Powys County Council said that the decision was to allow more consultation on the application as well as “firming up” the details of a S106 agreement which will govern how the development is run.

At a meeting of the authority's planning committee councillors discussed a proposal by by Janet Jones of Quaint Country Weddings to host wedding receptions in spring and summer, near the Grade II* (star) listed St Mary’s the Virgin church in Trelystan.

Trelystan is a hamlet on the Long Mountain between Welshpool and the border with England.

Powys County Councillor Cllr Linda Corfield represents Trelystan and spoke at the meeting.

As Trelystan is so close to the border with England, Cllr Corfield believed Shropshire County Council and Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) should be consulted on the application.

Trelystan resident and objector, Diane Stevens told councillors that she had been kept awake by anti-social noise as campers associated with the wedding events partied all night during test events last summer.

Resident and church warden, Rod Stevens also questioned the financial benefits of the development to the church.

He added that if weddings “took over" community fundraising for the church, could dry up.

Agent, Graham Clark said: “Allowing camping had not been part of the original proposal .

“But when couples booked weddings in 2021 the country was coming out of lockdown and everyone was suddenly booking any accommodation to have a holiday, this meant no accommodation was available.”

“Couples asked if they could camp in the adjacent fields using the permitted development rights.

“It was agreed and a few test events took place.”

He wanted the councillors to considered the application on the submitted proposals and not “blurred” by what had been said about events held last summer.

Cllr Phil Pritchard said: “I have serious concerns about the application.

“The roadway up there from both Welshpool and Chirbury is single track, there are a couple of passing places but 90 per cent of people who meet in vehicles, one has to reverse, there is no other alternative.

“The road is just not up to it.”

He suggested the site would be “ideal” for the committee to visit.

As councillors discussed the application, their concerns centred around whether giving planning permission with conditions would allow “more control” of a site that could still hold some weddings under permitted development rights.

Part of the conditions included a s106 agreement that only weddings at the church, church hall or at the marquee would be allowed.

This would also restrict the number of guests to a maximum of 150.

Cllr Kathryn Silk said: “It has to be clear, it should not be open to interpretation.”

Cllr Elwyn Vaughan said: “There are things I think we need clarification on and to get a better picture, I move that we go for deferment on this.”

He believed this would give the developer and church time to “sit down” and come to an agreement that would allow the application to move forward.

Cllr Gwilym Williams seconded the motion.

The vote saw 12 councillors favour a deferment and three vote against it.

The application will return to a future meeting of the planning committee for a decision.