A CALL to convert holiday lets near a Pembrokeshire village pub to a single home for their owner to downsize has been approved by county planners.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Dr Susan Richards, through agent Carl Bentley Architectural Services, sought permission for a change of use and alteration works from two holiday let units to form one dwelling at Dovecote Cottage, Cosheston, near Pembroke Dock.

A supporting statement accompanying the application said: “This planning application seeks a change of use of the holiday let units known as Dovecote Cottage to form a new dwelling for the applicant to use as her main/only residence.

“The original farm/agricultural buildings at East Farm were converted from old farm outbuildings to self-catering holiday let units in the 1980s and 2010s partly by the previous owner and also partly by the current owner/applicant.”

It said Dr Richards, living at the village’s Little Mayeston Cottage, has been in the village since 2016, and has owned Dovecote Cottage, near the village’s listed Brewery Inn, since 2017, adding: “The applicant wishes to downsize from the current dwelling and relocate to a central village location to a smaller dwelling and be closer to friends within the village.”

Of the proposals it further said: “The holiday let units are semi-detached single storey traditional farm outbuildings of stone wall construction set under a pitched roof.

“One unit (known as Dovecote Cottage) provides two bedrooms of accommodation for four people, and the other unit (known as The Stable at Dovecote Cottage) provides one bedroom of accommodation for four people. Both units have open plan kitchens / dining and living areas plus separate shower rooms.”

An officer report recommending approval said: “Amendments to the proposal were sought from the agent following case review.

“On balance, the visual impact of the amended design on the character of the Conservation Area and listed building is considered neutral to positive and is therefore recommended for approval.”

The application was conditionally approved by county planners.

A CALL to allow a Pembrokeshire agricultural building to be used as a public gym and what is believed to be the first Padel courts in the county have been given the go-ahead.

In two separate applications recommended for approval at the June meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee, Harvey and Fraser Jones sought permission for a change of use of an agricultural building to commercial Padel courts and a retrospective change of use of an agricultural building to a commercial gymnasium, both at Kiln Park Farm, Kiln Park Road, Narberth.

Padel is a racquet sport that combines elements of tennis and squash.

An officer report for the two applications said: “Kiln Park Farm is a rural holding situated approximately 70 metres south of Narberth, positioned in the countryside and outside any defined settlement boundary. The farmstead consists of two substantial former agricultural barns positioned around an area of established hardstanding, historically associated with agricultural operations. Vehicular access is obtained from Kiln Park Road, a narrow rural lane serving scattered farmsteads and dwellings.”

For the gym plans it said: “The application seeks retrospective planning permission for: change of use of Barn 1 to a gym space including CrossFit, boxing and power-lifting zones, change of use of Barn 2 to ancillary facilities including changing rooms, showers, toilets, plant room and physio room, use of a shed for physiotherapy and storage purposes, external alterations including cladding upgrades, roller shutters, doors, and native species planting, use of existing hardstanding for 35 parking spaces.”

For the two indoor padel courts, it said: “No extension to the building is proposed and the overall scale and appearance of the building would remain largely unchanged. The facility would operate between 6am and 11pm daily, with booking managed online.”

For both schemes it concluded: “The proposal represents an appropriate re-use of existing agricultural buildings for a leisure use, supporting rural diversification and providing social and economic benefits.

“It is well-related to Narberth and does not result in unacceptable impacts on the countryside, residential amenity, highway safety, biodiversity or flood risk.”

Speaking at the meeting, Harvey Jones said the gym had a “community-based ethos,” and of the padel courts: “Padel is the fastest growing sport in the world at the moment, we thought it would be good to bring it to Pembrokeshire, we are the only courts this side of Swansea and have proved to be working very well so far.

“It’s amazing for friends and family to get together and socialise, and also very good for mental health as well.”

Both applications were unanimously approved by committee members.

PLANS to extend a house in a Pembrokeshire seaside village, which has an associated café which has caused local concerns about noise and disturbance, have been given the go-ahead.

In an application recommended for approval at the June meeting of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park’s development management committee, Amber Maytum, through agent Sureline Design Services Ltd, sought permission for the rebuilding of a ground floor rear extension, the construction of pergola, and associated works at Manorbier House, Manorbier.

The application was for committee decision as local community council Manorbier objected to the application, contrary to an officer recommendation for approval, saying: “It is considered to be a large development on a site that is too small to accommodate such and that proposed alterations are not within the keeping of the community.”

Local residents and nearby business had also raised concerns including it could intensify existing usage for evening and late events at Manorbier House Café, “which have been associated with noise and disturbance, particularly following late finishes to music events,” as well as raising concerns of an impact on residential and visual amenity, increased parking pressures cited as an ongoing concern with the existing café use, and the potential to detract from tourism to Manorbier saying the use of venue “had an impact on the village’s reputation as a peaceful destination with heritage value”.

An officer report said Manorbier House, formerly the Beach Break Café and Chives Tearoom, has been the subject of a number of previous applications, including a 2012 scheme which consented the use of an approved patio as a permanent seasonal tearoom area following a previous two-year temporary approval.

The report said it appeared conditions on that approval, in activities described by local residents and businesses, had been breached which “will be followed up by the Enforcement Section but is a separate matter to this application”.

Of the current scheme, it said amendments removing previously proposed rear dormers and an external fire escape had been submitted, and the amended scheme “would not in and of themselves lead to an intensification in use of the site or be of an overall scale which would be disproportionate to the scale and character of the centre”.

Speaking at the meeting agent Micheal Howlett said the scheme was aimed at “modest improvements” to the building and was “not an application for a change of use or an extension of hours or more events”.

He later said noise concerns would be addressed through a noise management programme; applicant Amber Maytum saying Manorbier House was “predominantly a family home,” and discussions were taking place with licensing officers.

Members unanimously backed the recommendation of approval.