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B&B turned down over safety fears gets go-ahead after appeal
B&B turned down over safety fears gets go-ahead after appeal
Plans to convert ancillary buildings at a Ceredigion seaside village to B&B holiday lets were initially refused
Llangrannog Beach
(Image: Local Democracy Reporting Service)
Proposals to transform recently approved outbuildings at a Ceredigion coastal village into B&B holiday accommodation - which were initially rejected over pedestrian safety worries - have now been granted following an appeal.
Ceredigion Council planners had turned down Paul Nicolaysen's application to change the use of auxiliary residential structures at Llys y Nant, situated on the B4321 Llangrannog to Pontgarreg route, along with part of the main property, into B&B facilities. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here .
A supporting document submitted via agent Cynllunio RW Planning Ltd explained the application followed recently granted consent for the auxiliary structures in the garden space, with the applicants having previously owned and operated Angorfa B&B in Llangrannog before selling up and relocating to Llys y Nant.
"Since selling Angorfa, the property is no longer a B&B, thus leaving an under-provision in the settlement and wider area for such accommodation," the statement says, adding: "The site benefits from great location in walking distance to Llangrannog and the applicants are confident of the significant demand for such a development.
"The change of use proposed will be small scale and therefore not have a significant impact on neighbour, highway movements or the environment."
Both Llangrannog Community Council and the authority's highways department had raised objections to the proposal citing road and pedestrian safety issues, according to a planning officers' report.
The application was initially rejected because it "does not adequately provide off-site facilities for pedestrians/cyclists/people with disabilities to link with existing provisions and local services/facilities," breaching planning policies.
Following the rejection, an appeal to the Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) resulted in a turnaround, with planning permission now approved.
The Inspector's report delved into the impact of the proposal on highway user safety and its adherence to planning policies aimed at promoting sustainable and inclusive development.
The report observed: "From what I saw, the distance to the village and the highway terrain comprises a manageable and feasible one for most, including those with pushchairs or wheelchairs."
Furthermore, the report noted: "Although the officer's report refers to an objection arising from its Highways consultation, there is nothing before me that expands on the nature of this objection, and neither have I been presented with any cogent evidence that the existing highway network is causing significant conflict amongst road users."
It also mentioned that the lane's narrow and winding layout "encourages very slow traffic speeds and the exercise of caution by drivers," and found scant evidence that the proposed B&B would significantly increase traffic or road users compared to its current use.
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The statement continued: "It follows there would be no significant exacerbation of risk arising from existing highway conditions.
"I conclude that the proposal would not be harmful to highway safety, and it would comply with the sustainable placemaking principles of [LDP policies]."
