Holiday chalet plans for trout fishery to be considered for fourth time

An application to build holiday chalets at a trout fishery in north Pembrokeshire will have to be considered for a fourth time, despite planners backing the scheme twice in a row. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Plans to provide nine accommodation cabins and ancillary works at a former fishery business at Millbrook, Manorwen, Fishguard, were backed at yesterday’s May 23 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council planning committee, despite being recommended for refusal for a third time. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Last month, members of the county council’s planning committee said they were ‘minded to approve’ the application. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The cautious approval – made following a site visit proposed at the previous meeting – meant it would return to this committee for ratification. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Members were also told that any full approval at the May meeting would mean the decision, a departure from the adopted Local Development Plan, would have to be formally advertised and referred to full council for a final decision. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Officers have repeatedly recommended the application by Messrs L & C Williams – diversification of an existing agricultural holding and trout fishery business – be refused on the grounds it would have an unacceptable adverse impact on the character and appearance of the countryside. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A report for planners said commercial farming at the site ended in 1998, but that use of the pond as a recreational trout fishery, which commenced in 1994, had continued to date. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

However, it added there is no ready evidence of recent use for recreational fishery on-site. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Speaking at the May meeting, local member Councillor Delme Harris said: “I’m a bit disappointed that we’ve come back again with the recommendation to refuse rather than working with potential developers in how we can get these things ‘over the line’.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

He said backing the application would be “supporting a Pembrokeshire family investing in our area, bringing people into our area and giving much-needed support for the people of Fishguard and Goodwick”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Brian Hall – normally a support of officer recommendations by his own admission – had previously moved approval at the April meeting, did so again. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I’m not a fisherman, my idea of fish is wrapped in a daily newspaper; if I was a fisherman, I would’ve liked to go to a place like this,” said Cllr Hall. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

He added: “I think it would definitely bring more benefit to the area and the economy; I have no hesitation in moving we approve this application today.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Some other members raised their concerns about a departure from planning policy by supporting the application, with Councillor Michael Williams feeling there were no strong arguments to do so. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Members voted to go against officers’ recommendations to refuse by nine votes to four. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

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