Farmers 'held hands up' after building unit out of line with approved plans.

The new unit at Tyn Yr Wtra farm at Llanwyddelan, New Mills, had been approved by Powys County Council’s in 2018 – but was constructed last year in a different position and to a larger footprint than the agreed plans had stated.

It meant the applicants had to re-submit the amended designs and fork out £12,000 to go through the planning system again.

The council’s planning committee heard the building of the shed without the correct permissions had led to concerns being raised about its visibility from the nearby public road, subsidence and environmental pollution.

One member of the public, Sharon O’Neill spoke at the meeting against the application.

She said: “It became evident very quickly that the applicant had increased the size of the poultry unit, and, even more concerning, the unit was moved forward a total of 20 metres. This resulted in the unit being even closer to the neighbouring residents than what was previously approved.”

The council’s development management team was notified and an officer visited the site in June 2019, confirming the shed measured 5.6 metres longer than in the approved plans and was further forward on the site.

Mrs O’Neill said Councillor Heulwen Hulme had requested the council take enforcement action, but this was “dismissed” by planning officers who said they were working with the applicants to come to an agreement.

Mrs O’Neill added: “This development is not acceptable and I put it to you that the applicant and agent were very well aware that if the unit had been built where it should have been, as set out in the approved application, it would have meant the relocation of electricity poles, adding further expense.

“Therefore they submitted the original application in the knowledge that they would have to move the shed forward in any event.

“Overall this development is a prime example of the blatant disregard and abuse of planning conditions and regulations and Powys County Council should not tolerate individuals who take to undermining the planning system.”

Applicant Heather Jerman, who runs the farm along with her husband and eldest son, told the committee her two sons were the sixth generation of their family to farm at Tyn Yr Wtra.

“This proposal will assist in protecting the sustainability of the farm,” said Mrs Jerman.

“After gaining planning permission we got the contractors out and suddenly realised the shed as approved on the plan was literally at the rear hedge line and nearly impossible to build, given the typography.

“We know planning breaches are taken seriously and we didn’t do it for the sake of it. It was done because it was a necessity and contact was made straight away to seek advice from the council.”

She added that the new proposal was an improvement on the original as the top of the shed was 1.5 metres lower and the drainage system had been improved.

Planning consultant Gerallt Davies, the applicants’ agent, said he and the applicant had “held our hands up since the very first day” over the breaches.

He said there would be no increase in the number of chickens as a result of the increased size of the shed.

The planning committee voted unanimously to approve the retrospective application.

Councillor David Selby said: “We can’t ignore the fact that this site received planning approval two years ago for a unit of a similar size to the one that is in front of us today.”