Decision due on farm's renewed log cabin business application

Councillors on a council’s planning committee could decide a controversial planning application.

Retrospective plans have been submitted to change the use of agricultural buildings to allow the log cabin business and adjoining sawmill to use them, at The Gaer Farm, Golfa.

The latest plans were submitted to Powys County Council last month, and follow a similar application for the development which was rejected by the council in December 2021 – because it did not show how safe entry and exit on to the road could be achieved.

The applicant, Nick Jones, has been renting the buildings to a log cabin building business without planning consent.

Guilsfield county councillor, David Jones represents the area and has now “called in” the application.

He said: “As the local member I wish to call this application in for consideration by planning committee on highway grounds.”

In a planning “justification” statement, agent Richard Corbett of Roger Parry and Partners, explained the proposal for the buildings, which had at one stage been used for lambing at the sheep farm.

He said: “The client wishes to change the use of the buildings to allow the construction of log cabins.

“Mr Jones currently rents the buildings to the local company British Log Cabins.

“BLC build authentic timber and log homes and employ 10 members of staff all of which are local to the area.

“The client wishes to diversify his farm buildings by changing the use and utilise the former agricultural buildings rather than proposing commercial buildings at The Gaer.

“There is adequate access and parking areas to serve the business format.

“In encouraging the re-use of the buildings in the countryside, the council and Welsh Government recognises that there are sustainable arguments for such developments.

“Conversions can breathe new economic and social life into rural communities and they re-use existing building and building materials which reduces the need to construct on greenfield sites and for processing new construction materials.”

One of the documents submitted with the proposal is a highways and transport assessment report.

Mr Corbett added: “Based on the analysis and assumptions provided in this Assessment, it is clear that the cumulative impacts of the proposals will not be severe or significant in terms of vehicular traffic.

“Indeed, it is considered that there are no significant transport related reasons why this proposal could not be supported.”

A decision is expected from Powys planners by March 16.