A call to convert a former vineyard restaurant in rural Pembrokeshire to holiday lets as a form of small farm diversification has been refused.
In an application recommended for refusal at the March meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee, Barry Cadogan sought permission for a farm diversification and expansion of an existing holiday operation through the conversion of the former Cwm Deri vineyard production base and restaurant to three holiday lets at Oaklea, Martletwy.
It was recommended for refusal on the grounds the proposal “would introduce three new self-catering accommodation units within a countryside location which is not considered to be a proportionate amount of development to support a farm enterprise of limited scale”.
It had previously been recommended for refusal at the December planning committee but was deferred pending a site visit.
An officer report then said that, while the scheme was suggested as a form of farm diversification for the 36-acre farm, no detail had been provided in the form of a business case.
Speaking at that meeting, agent Andrew Vaughan-Harries of Hayston Developments & Planning Ltd, said the former Cwm Deri vineyard had been a very successful business, with a shop and a restaurant before it closed several years ago.
He said Mr Cadogan then bought the site, farming and running a small campsite of 20 spaces, but didn’t wish to run a café or a wine shop; arguing it would easily convert to holiday let use.
Speaking again at the March meeting, he said his applicant had now produced a business case, expecting the proposal would generate half the farm income, saying of the recommendation of refusal: “It almost seems like my client is punished for being a small farmer.”
He later added: “compared to a lot of farms in Pembrokeshire it is small; I think it’s very difficult to make a living out of 36 acres, he’s just a businessman trying to use a building.”
The business figure was debated, with estimations of the income ratio being closer to three-to-one in favour of the tourism side raised.
However, calls to go against officer recommendations and approve the scheme were moved by Cllr Brian Hall, who said the tourism operation was “the only thing that’s keeping him going at the moment,” adding: “I think we should give this applicant a chance; I think if we don’t do this a lot of these smallholdings are going to go out of business.”
Cllr Nick Neumann said the building not being used “doesn’t sit well with me,” warning: “I fear we are just making another building in our county redundant.”
Cllr Michael Williams, who had previously warned of the dangers about going against officer recommendations, saying it was time for a “reality check,” adding: “We have to determine this application as it is before us, not to look for ways round it; that’s the agent’s job.”
Committee chair Cllr Mark Carter, who had previously raised the three-to-one concern, said the business plan as received “doesn’t really stack up to show a form of farm diversification,” adding: “This new proposal with three units of holiday accommodation could well outstrip anything on the farming side by three-to-one.”
Cllr Hall’s call for approval was defeated by six votes to four, with the recommendation of refusal then taken, passing, also by six votes to four.
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