Outbuilding without planning permission discovered during site visit

Twm Owen Local Democracy Reporter

An outbuilding put up without planning permission was only discovered when councillors paid a visit to inspect a barn conversion.

Councillors on the planning committee visit application sites to help them consider whether to grant approval or refuse schemes when they have to make a decision at their planning meeting.

Members visited Oxpool Barn, on Argoed Road in the open countryside at Earlswood in Shirenewton, as they were being asked to consider changes to a previously approved barn conversion.

Planning permission was first granted in 2002 with a new application, due to amendments, approved in 2005 but when the council’s delegated panel considered the latest changes in August it said the decision should be made by the full planning committee.

At Monmouthshire County Council’s planning committee planning officer Kate Young said she’d been unaware an outbuilding had been built in the grounds until she accompanied councillors during their site visit on Friday, September 4.

Wyesham councillor Emma Bryn asked about a condition restricting outbuildings at the site and said she assumed the outbuilding they had seen already had permission.

Ms Young however confirmed there is no permission in place for the building.

She said: “I didn’t know that outbuilding was there until the site visit. It does need planning permission.”

Head of planning Andrew Jones confirmed the outbuilding would need to be considered for planning permission but said “it is not a matter before us today”.

During the meeting Shirenewton councillor Louise Brown said she was unhappy at how the barn conversion had progressed and work on the changes, councillors were being asked to approve, which included a change from a single storey to two story had already taken place.

The Conservative said: “It clearly was a small barn and now a very large barn has nearly been completed despite not having planning approval.”

The councillor also said she was concerned at the loss of vegetation around the site which had become overgrown, and the impact on ecology, during the long period since planning permission was first approved.

Her colleague, Devauden member Rachel Buckler, said she considered “material” changes had been made to the originally approved plans and, while she accepted the reasons officers had given as to why they could be acceptable, said she would vote against the recommendation the application be approved.

Planning officer Ms Young said there was “good evidence” work had begun within five years of the 2005 decision and said the authority was also aware of the reason why it stopped.

She also accepted under the council’s current policy the amount of demolition wouldn’t be acceptable but said it was when the application was considered in 2005.

The committee approved the application, with a condition requiring ecological enhancements amended to include a start date for work following Cllr Brown’s suggestion. One councillor voted against approval.

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