Planning inspector turns down bid for holiday cabin in rural property’s garden

In September 2022, Kathryn Chedgzoy lodged a change of use planning application with Powys County Council.

The proposal was to allow the construction of a wooden cabin under permitted development rights at the end of her garden at Clyrun Fach, Llansilin, which could be used as a holiday space.

Mrs Chedgzoy said in her application that the cabin would be used by “friends and connections”.

However, last summer the application was dismissed by Powys planners on the grounds that it would have an “adverse effect” on highways safety.

In her report planning case officer Hannah Miller had said that the highways authority had raised concerns about the application as the access track is “steep” and has “inadequate visibility.”

Highway authority officers did not believe there was enough room to provide passing bays on the track to help traffic flow.

Following the knock-back Mrs Chedgzoy appealed against the decision to Planning and Environment Decision Wales (PEDW).

She said: “I feel the planning application has not taken into account the nature of this site and the planned use of this existing building.

“We merely wish to have somewhere for family and friends to be able to stay, and for at times, it to be on a pay as you can basis for friends of friends.

“We are not running a large site that is going to have lots of traffic back and forth.”

Planning inspector Ian Stevens said: “Having visited the site, I saw that visibility in the northbound direction is still severely constrained by the driveway gradient, its alignment with the highway and the intervening boundary bank.

“The road conditions are such that forward visibility is limited along much of the route.”

He added that when he met oncoming vehicles, drivers needed to reverse “some distance” to the nearest passing places which were “mostly” the entrance to other properties.

Mr Stevens said: “The restricted visibility due to the nature of the route and tall hedgerows lining the roadside exacerbates the difficulties with manoeuvring along the highway.”

On the contention that the cabin would only be for “family and friends,” Mr Stevens said: “While that may be the case, the proposal could be let throughout the year.

“The holiday let would generate additional vehicle movements over and above those associated with Clyrun Fach.

“My conclusion is that the appeal proposal would give rise to an unacceptable risk to highway safety and the efficient use of the highway network, through use of the substandard access.”

For these reasons he dismissed the appeal.