Planners to Refuse Indoor Craft Market Scheme Despite Double Backing

A scheme to create an indoor craft market/traders barn on the site of a deer farm attraction is expected to be refused at full council despite being backed by planners twice.
Mr and Mrs Evans of Great Wedlock, Gumfreston, near Tenby, are seeking a change of use of a former agricultural barn to the trading barn for up to 35 traders selling local produce and crafts, operating up to 61 days a year.
The plans, now backed twice by Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee after an initial ‘minded to’ approval as it went against officer recommendations – also included an additional 30 parking bays on the site of a former silage clamp.
Reasons for refusal given by officers included the potential for negative impacts on the existing provision of local shops in nearby rural settlements.
At the November meeting, the second time it was considered, Mr Evans said the scheme would not sell any food, but would be a showcase for the “high quality arts and crafts market,” with many interested parties contacting him since the last meeting.
He said the trading barn would allow start-up businesses free space at first “to enable them to get a foothold on the business ladder,” with the intention of different crafts makers showcasing their products each week, and was about “bringing this exciting opportunity to the people of Pembrokeshire.”
Moving the application be supported, local member councillor Rhys Jordan said there was “no objection whatsoever from the people of the local community,” with “some 400-500 positive comments” on the scheme since press coverage of the previous meeting.
As the scheme is a departure from planning policy it will now be considered by full council at its December 14 meeting.
It is recommended members do not endorse the resolution of the planning committee, on the grounds it would have the potential to have negative impacts on nearby local rural shops and it fails to comply with planning policies in the Local Development Plan for Pembrokeshire.
“The reasons advanced by the planning committee in support of the proposal do not outweigh the adopted Local Development Plan policies which direct that planning permission should refused,” a report for members states.
If members back the resolution of the planning committee, a long string of conditions are proposed. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​