THE FINAL sign-off has been given for a multi-million-pound disability-friendly holiday lodge development at a Pembrokeshire deer park attraction previously backed by councillors despite repeated recommendations for refusal.

In an application twice backed despite repeated recommendations for refusal at both the February and March meetings of Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee, Mr and Mrs Evans sought permission for 15 lodges at Great Wedlock, Gumfreston, near Tenby, the site of a 176-acre deer farm attraction, which includes animals from the late Queen’s estate, and a more recently-granted market traders’ barn.

The application returned to the February meeting after being backed with a ‘minded to’ support in January after a ‘cooling off period’.

At the February meeting, officers repeated their concerns, also raising a recent court judgement against the council for a previously-granted holiday park scheme in Stepaside, which had been backed despite repeated calls by officers for its refusal, saying there was a possibility of a similar situation arising.

That second approval against officer recommendations based on policy meant the final decision on the scheme will have to be made by full council, the matter appearing before the May 8 meeting.

The applicants’ previous scheme for a trading barn took an identical route, being decided by full council after repeatedly being recommended for refusal.

Reasons for refusal given to members included it was outside of an identified settlement boundary in a countryside location, and was considered to have an adverse impact on visual amenity.

The applicants have previously said build costs to complete the development would be circa £2.3m.

At the May meeting of full council, officers again reiterated the judicial review concerns and the conflicts with policy before Cllr Simon Hancock, as then chair of the planning committee moved the scheme be approved, despite saying he would vote against it.

He was seconded by local member Cllr Rhys Jordan, who said the material considerations of “ethically right and economically sound” sustainable tourism and the disability-friendly lodges outweighed the planning considerations.

He said, on the cited recent court judgement, there was unlikely to be any challenge as there had been no objection from the local community council or any opposition groups.

The application was approved by 30 votes to 23, with one abstention.

Following committee approval, the scheme has now been formally approved.

An officer report said of the May approval: “Members considered that the results in economic benefits and the provision of accessible tourist accommodation were considerations to outweigh the conflict with the policies of the Local Development Plan when it was resolved to approve the application.”

In reaching formal approval it added: “The application was then advertised in the Western Telegraph as a departure to the policies of the Local Development Plan for Pembrokeshire. Following the advertisement of the application no further comments have been received.”