Guesthouse Owner Denied Planning Permission for Patio Built Over Riverbank in Abergavenny

A GUESTHOUSE owner has been told a patio he’d built over a riverbank, that was swept away in a heavy storm, can’t have planning permission. 
Geoff Burrows had originally built the patio beside his property, that is used as an Airbnb, more than 10 years ago and would likely have been granted a certificate to confirm it is a legal development as the period in which enforcement action could be taken had passed. 
But following separate planning applications made by Mr Burrows he was told more recent works, including repaving the patio, and a timber shelter for a seating area would require planning permission. 
Planners also told him he needed change of use permission as he’d extended the residential curtilage of the property, at Waterside, Abergavenny over the bank of the river Gavenny. 
The application was considered by the council’s planning committee at its July meeting where officers recommended it be refused due to an objection from the council’s flood risk officer and a lack of landscaping plans and biodiversity mitigations. 
Planning officer Phil Thomas said the river has a local designation as a site of interest for nature conservation, or SINC, while it also feeds into the Usk which has national protection as a site of special scientific interest. 
He said the most recent work had extended the patio, and the property’s curtilage area, by some two or three metres over the riverbank. 
Mr Thomas said: “The land may be owned by the applicant but that doesn’t mean to say it can be used as curtilage, it is riverbank.” 
Abergavenny Park ward Labour member Councillor Tudor Thomas supported the application and told the committee Mr Burrows had carried out work “in good faith” and said: “He’s been very open and honest with the planning department.” 
He said the property is an Airbnb and Mr Burrows intends repairing the riverbank which would provide a habitat for wildlife and insects. 
Mr Burrows said environmental body Natural Resources Wales hadn’t commented on his proposal and said he wished to repair the riverbank which he said had been “swept away” by Storm Claudia last November which was “unprecedented in the 23 years we’ve owned the property.” 
He also said without repairs there would be a greater risk of loose soil causing harm to the river. 
Mr Thomas reminded councillors further work to the bank would require planning permission. 
Flood risk officer James Woodier warned the riverbank wasn’t suitable and said: “These structures always seem to get undermined.” 
Devauden member Rachel Buckler said she supported the officer’s recommendation to refuse planning permission, which she said was supported by a photograph of the storm damage. 
The Conservative said: “The illustration of the storm damage and new, inappropriate development of the patio could not be a clearer illustration of what not to do on a riverbank. I don’t quite know what the fact it is an Airbnb has got to do with the price of eggs.” 
The application was refused planning permission with 12 councillors voting in favour of refusal and three against.  ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

%gallery% ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

By BBC LDRS ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​