Plans to alter bar in seaside village withdrawn from committee agenda

Alterations to a bar in a seaside village’s conservation area, partly owned by a former county councillor, were withdrawn from a Pembrokeshire planning committee today. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Pembrokeshire Coast National Park’s Development Management committee, meeting on June 7, was recommended to refuse an application, by Ross Barnes, to replace an existing glass balustrade with a variable height glass balustrade and the installation of two permanent parasols at Harbwr Bar and Kitchen, Wogan Terrace, Saundersfoot. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The item was due to be considered by the Development Management Committee as former committee member – and former county councillor – Mike Evans, who had left the authority less than 12 months prior to the application’s submission, has a material interest in its outcome. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Local community council Saundersfoot had objected to the application, stating: “Following consideration of all the information provided by the Planning Authority, Saundersfoot Community Council advise the planning officer that it is not in support of this planning application, considering that the proposed plans are not within the keeping of the surrounding buildings nor in keeping with the conservation area in which the building is situated.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The authority’s Buildings Conservation Officer recommended refusal, stating: “The property is prominent within Saundersfoot Conservation Area, denoted as a positive building. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Section 72 of the 1990 Act requires that when considering planning applications, special attention must be paid to the desirability of preserving or enhancing the character or appearance of the area. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The scheme includes extendible glass balustrading and two permanent ‘pergolas’ (gazebos), these extending across the whole of the fascia, filling the front courtyard. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This is my view comprises over-development that cannot reasonably be said to preserve or enhance the character of Saundersfoot.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The officer also raised concerns about the impact on the character and appearance of the conservation area. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The plans were recommended to be refused on the grounds of visual impact, over-development within the conservation area, and “The proposal does not preserve the setting of Listed Buildings within Saundersfoot.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

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