Concern as councillor aims to demolish rare 1800s cottage

Elgan Hearn Local Democracy Reporter

A strong objection has been lodged against a proposal to demolish a rare 19th century cottage and replace it with a new four bedroom property on land owned by a county councillor.

The planning application was submitted to Powys County Council by Charles and Kate Oakley for Llwyn du near Llansantffraid-ym-Mechain which is just off the A495 main road to the south of the village.

The proposal will be presented to councillors for a decision at a meeting of the council’s  Planning committee on Thursday, April 3.

This is because the site is owned by the county councillor for Llansantffraid, Cllr Gwynfor Thomas, and his daughter Mrs Oakley, is one of the applicants.

“Rare survivor”

Llwyn du is a “two up two down” labourer’s cottage constructed of hand-made brick around 1800.

Planning agent Geraint Lloyd of Lloyd Architecture explained the application in a design and access statement.

Mr Lloyd said:  “The proposals meet the requirements of the Powys Local Development Plan (LDP) and will provide a local family with a home for life.

“The proposal is of an appropriate scale and design for the user’s needs as well as being in context with other properties in the locality and will sit comfortably within the landscape.

Llansantffraid and Deytheur community council have supported the scheme.

Powys council’s built heritage officer Dr Sam Johnson said: “The property is an important and rare survivor of its type, a small dwelling for an agricultural worker, of local design and materials.

“It is largely intact in terms of floor plan and external materials, with some modifications and extension which are not overly injurious to its character, but of a nature which would remove it from consideration of inclusion on the statutory list.”

Traditional vernacular building

Dr Johnson said that the cottage is: “sound, weather-tight and habitable with minor defects.”

He adds that there is an “opportunity” to extend on one side of the building.

Considering doing this would have a better chance of gaining planners support.

Dr Johnson said:  “The proposal would see the loss of a historic and traditional vernacular building of character.

“It would remove a long association of a labourer’s cottage and its position within the land.

“The scheme would introduce a property of an over-large nature and alien design and materials to the plot.

“The scheme is contrary to policy; a strong objection is made to the proposal.”

Due to this, principal planning officer Richard Edwards will recommend that councillors reject the proposal.