Retrospective plans for stables near Builth Wells are approved

Plans for stables that have already been built were approved by Powys planners.

At a meeting of Powys County Council’s Planning committee on Thursday, April 7, a retrospective planning application by Jo Sheil to legally legitimise the building of Dukeshill Stables which at land next to Hengwm Fawr, Llanddewi’r Cwm which is a couple of miles from Builth Wells was discussed by councillors.

The application has been called in front of councillors by the local Powys County Councillor, David Price, who is also a member of the planning committee.

Cllr Price said: “This application is before us today because the Duhonw community council was inundated with complaints.

“They pressed for enforcement action to be taken on the basis of highway issues which is very substandard in nature.”

He agreed with the highways authority’s initial response which raised objections to the proposal but disagreed with their updated report which showed a change of mind to favour the scheme.

Cllr Price pointed out that the number of vehicle movements was calculated as 1892 before the development was built and that it would drop to 1596 afterwards.

Cllr Price said: “The real question here is what is the baseline for vehicle movements, I would contend we ought to be looking at zero.”

Highways authority officer Steve Jones said: “We believe it should be based on the greenfield scenario as it was before this development was built without planning consent.

“However, we had discussions with the planning authority who drew conclusions from an appeal site elsewhere in Powys.

“Planning consent is not required for keeping horses on agricultural land and as such we had to consider the existing movements being legitimate, so the comparison is a position we were advised to consider.”

Cllr Price said: “I would still challenge those figures and say they ae at best misleading, the baseline should be zero movements – I cannot be persuaded otherwise, it’s what the locals see and are angry about.”

Cllr Price asked to defer the application so that the vehicle movement figures could be looked at again for “absolute clarity.”

Cllr Roger Williams agreed with Cllr Price and believed that the application needed “looking at again.”

Cllr Williams said: “This is a retrospective application, the public view these things with great concern and they see it as people trying to establish a way around the planning system.”

Cllr Gareth Pugh said: “I think people are missing the point we’ve had it explained quite clearly, it’s legal to keep horses on that piece of land, and you have to go and see to them.

“There would be nothing stopping the applicant putting lorry containers, temporary shelters as accommodation for these horses, which would look really ramshackle.

“Based on that I would support officer’s recommendations.”

A vote to approve the application took place and it was carried with 10 votes for and five against.

There was also one abstention and one councillor not allowed to vote due to not being present for the report presentation.