Working farm set to become visitor destination after plans approved

Kieran Molloy, Local Democracy Reporter

A working farm has been given the go-ahead to become a visitor destination.

Plans to create a farm shop, craft workshops and three holiday lodges on Tyla Morris Farm in Pentyrch have been approved by Cardiff Council.

Planning documents relating to the scheme read: “The proposal is to develop and adapt redundant and underused buildings and spaces at Tyla Morris Farm to provide a range of facilities that offer community benefits and revenue income to support the farm business and ensure longer term sustainability of the overall enterprise.

“Diversification of farm businesses is recognised and supported by government and putting existing farm assets such as underused buildings or land to new use is broadly encouraged.”

According to planning documents, the farm has been “consistently profitable” for the last few years although with net profits following a “downward trajectory”.

From this the applicant, Mr Michael Evans, concluded that diversification is an “essential next step” to ensure the longer-term sustainability of the farm.

Pentyrch Community Council objected to the plans on the grounds of loss of green space due to the holiday lets and the car park, and the impact of traffic in the area.

However, it also said: “Diversification of the business to improve the viability of the farm is welcomed.”

The farm will also house a “multi-purpose training and demonstration space.”

The application reads: “This could be used for anything from short courses to practical demonstrations, textile art, ceramics art, basket weaving, flower arranging, etc and talks on a host of topics relating to the natural environment such as climate change, biodiversity, bee keeping, re-wilding, gardening and food production, etc.”

Coffee shop

A small coffee shop will also be sited inside the building with an outdoor sitting area for “use in the warmer seasons”.

According to planning documents, guests staying at the holiday lodges will leave their car in the carpark and an “electric motorised buggy” will be used to shuttle guests and luggage between the lodges and the car park.

The setting of the lodges is also planned to minimise visual impact on the natural environment by “working with the natural contours, with some cutting into the slope, and by use of semi-mature planting screens”.

The holiday lodges will be “set into the natural contours of the site at the foot of the rising pasture and screened with natural professionally designed landscaping to mitigate visual impact and enhance biodiversity.

“The position and alignment of the lodges takes in the panorama of the vale below.”

Planning documents read: “Consideration is given to security, safety and privacy with respect to the day to day running of the farm with controlled access points in place to separate the public visitor space from the private space of both the farmhouse and the farmyard.”