Holiday chalet plans for Fishguard trout fishery refused again

An application to build holiday chalets at a trout fishery in north Pembrokeshire is recommended to be turned down despite planners giving the scheme a cautious backing. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

This is the third time the application to provide nine accommodation cabins and ancillary works at a former fishery business at Millbrook, Manorwen, Fishguard, has been recommended for refusal. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Last month, members of the county council’s planning committee said they were ‘minded to approve’ the application, despite an officer recommendation for refusal. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The cautious approval – made following a site visit – meant it would return to a future meeting for final ratification. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

At the April planning meeting, Pembroke Dock councillor Brian Hall, normally – by his own admission – a stickler for following officer recommendations, instead moved approval, describing it as “one of the nicest places that I’ve proposed a site visit to,” adding: “I think this is something where we could help the local economy and a very pleasant area.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The application had also been recommended for refusal at the March planning meeting, members instead agreeing to a site visit ahead of the April meeting. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Officers had recommended the application by Messrs L & C Williams be refused on the grounds it would have an unacceptable adverse impact on the character and appearance of the countryside. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The application – diversification of an existing agricultural holding and trout fishery business – was a resubmission of a similar scheme withdrawn from the November meeting of the planning committee, which had also been recommended for refusal. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

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. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A report for members ahead of the May committee warned: “Should the committee resolve to approve planning permission and as the proposed development is a departure from the adopted Local Development Plan, then the decision will have to be formally advertised and referred to council.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

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