COUNCILLORS will be advised to approve a planning application for three log cabins and associated works at a village near Welshpool.
The proposal by Mr and Mrs Walton is for land next to Poplar Drive in Leighton and will be before councillors at a meeting of Powys County Council’s Planning committee on Thursday, April 25.
Nine objections have been lodged against the proposal.
The application has been “called in” to be decided by councillors following a request by the county councillor who cover Leighton, Cllr Amanda Jenner, “due to highways and access concerns raised by residents.”
Forden with Leighton and Trelystan Community Council discussed the proposal at a meeting last October.
Forden with Leighton and Trelystan council said: “This application was not supported due to the issues with highways, access and passing places.”
This is the second application made by the couple who submitted a previous scheme in December 2020.
This version received 26 objections and was refused by planning officers in May 2023.
The reasons given for refusing the first application last year given by Powys planners is that it failed to demonstrate that a safe access and exit can be achieved without an: “unacceptable impact on highway safety.”
Planning agent Gerallt Davies of Roger Parry and Partners said that the lodges would: “only take a fraction of the site and is in the corner of the relatively disused field.”
Mr Davies said: “It is situated in an area where there are ample tourist destinations, public footpaths and other services, which in turn will ensure the site will be a success.
He added that a previous version of the proposal had been through a “rigorous and long” process.
Mr Davies said: “After two and a half years of consideration we felt we had addressed all matters, as all objections from statutory consultees were addressed.”
Senior planning officer Richard Edwards said: “Whilst the proposed site is located within the open countryside, it is noted to being adjacent to existing built development along Poplar Drive and therefore would be seen as one grouping already present within the surrounding landscape.
He added that the Powys Highways Authority had not objected to the new proposal.
Subject to conditions being put on the planning permission to ensure adequate parking provision and passing bays are provided, Mr Edwards said that the Highway Authority’s previously raised concerns had been “overcome.”
Due to this Mr Edwards recommends that the application is approved.
But he said that the proposal is subject to a call in request made to Welsh Government planning inspectors.
This means that any decision made by councillors would only come into force if Welsh government planning inspectors at PEDW (Planning and Environment Decisions Wales) pass responsibility back to the council.
Last Friday, April 19 the Welsh Government updated its list of “planning decisions being considered by the Welsh ministers.”
The call in request has been refused with PEDW deciding last Wednesday, April 17 – not to intervene in the process.
