Enforcement notice served on Airbnb ‘prison watchtower’

Richard Evans, local democracy reporter

The owner of an Airbnb let in north Wales has been told to tear down a “prison-camp watchtower” built in the garden of the property.

The “monstrous” tower was built at the site of the holiday let on Tan y Bryn Road in Rhos on Sea without planning permission in January 2024.

It sparked fury from neighbours, with neighbours saying the structure was blighting their day-to-day lives.

JAM Domestic Properties Ltd had submitted a number of retrospective planning applications to retain the “garden room”, but these were refused.

Conwy Council has now confirmed they have ordered the structure be removed.

A spokesperson said: “An enforcement notice has been served which requires the removal of the structure.”

Appeal

The Local Democracy Reporting Service understands the enforcement notice took effect on 17 June, but the developer has 10 weeks from that date to appeal.

Neighbour Nick Whitmore, 35, said his family was thrilled the enforcement notice had been served.

Mr Whitmore has lived at his home since 2021 but said the tower had compromised the family’s quality of life at their dream home.

He said: “We are looking forward to the structure coming down. It dominates our property and our neighbours.

“They can’t even sit at their breakfast table without it being overlooked, and it is the same for lots of other houses in the locality.

“So we are thrilled they’ve been served with an enforcement notice and are looking forward to it being pulled down.”

Intrusive

He added: “It will mean we no longer have such a dominating and intrusive structure, which is so overbearing, looking over our garden or our neighbours’ gardens.”

A previous planning statement provided by Cadnant Planning in support of the application read: “Views from the raised platform into neighbouring properties were recognized as being available from the initial planning consent.

“The proposed development is not considered to lead to an acceptable increase to this and is not considered to have a detrimental impact on privacy or residential amenity to neighbouring properties, and therefore would be acceptable on this basis.”

They declined to comment on behalf of JAM Domestic Properties in relation to the enforcement notice.