A HOLIDAY let in rural Monmouthshire will be converted to a residential home but there will be no restrictions on who can occupy it.
Approval to convert the former barn to a holiday let was granted in 2003 but applicant Lynn Whittington asked Monmouthshire County Council for change of use permission so it can be used as a home and let on either a long or short term basis.
The barn is part of the Pant Y Cosyn farm complex and outside of any defined settlement boundary and accessed from a section of un-adopted highway extending from the B4235 which connects Usk and Chepstow.
The area, in the open countryside, has also been identified as a potential green belt for south east Wales by the Welsh Government.
Planning officer Adam Foote said though there is normally a presumption against development in the open countryside the council’s policy allows for barn to be converted for residential use so there would be no objection to the change of use of a holiday let.
Shirenewton Community Council didn’t object to the application but suggested a condition that occupation should be limited to those with a local connection.
It said it had noted the application was so the barn can be occupied “as a long-term shorthold let to people with a local connection” and asked that this be made a condition.
However Mr Foote said such a conditions could only be imposed where there is evidence of a need for such accommodation and said there was none related to the application and said: “Therefore it would be unreasonable to impose such a condition.”
He also said the loss of a single tourism unit isn’t likely to have an adverse impact on the local economy and the application was approved by the planning department.
The boundary for the proposed green belt has yet to be established and is only intended to restrict major developments so Mr Foote said the application wasn’t in conflict with the policy.
