Councillors set to approve caravan park extension near popular Welsh book town

Elgan Hearn - Local democracy reporter

Councillors are set to decide controversial plans to extend a rural caravan park near the world's first book town.

At a meeting of Powys County Council’s Planning committee on Thursday, January 15 councillors will receive a report on an application by James Lloyd-Jones of Hillandale Caravan Parks to add 21 static caravan pitches at the Borders Hideaway Holiday Park at Clyro near Hay on Wye.

The proposal also includes provision for vehicle tracks, package treatment plant and a drainage field.

Lodged with Powys planners back in October 2024, the application is a smaller version of a previous application which was submitted in April 2024 and then withdrawn from consideration in July 2024.

The holiday park already has 48 static caravans, 18 touring caravan pitches and 18 seasonal caravan pitches, a house and amenity block there.

The field in question also has planning permission for tents to be pitched on large parts of it for 28 days from March 1 to October 31 each year.

This proposal – as well as the previous one- has faced local opposition and 14 objections had been submitted to the council against it.

Arguments against it include saying that the site had: “inadequate parking and public transport provision” that it would: “Increase danger of flooding, traffic and pollution.:

The scheme has been brought in front of the Planning committee by the local county councillor, former council leader and current cabinet member for education Cllr James Gibson-Watt.

Cllr Gibson-Watt (Liberal Democrat – Glasbury) said that he has “called in” the application due to its: “highly sensitive and prominent location, planning history of the site and the location of the site, on a steep slope above a brook within the River Wye SAC (Special Area of Conservation).”

Clyro Community Council has also objected to the plans.

Clyro council said: “After due consideration of the re-application and listening to local residents of which there is much opposition, the council finds unanimously that this application is not sufficiently different from the first application.”

The council believes that the proposal is “contrary” to several policies in the Powys LDP (Local Development Plan).

Clyro Council said: “It will detract from the overall character and appearance of the area.

“It will have an unacceptable adverse effect on the valued characteristics and qualities of the landscape and is not appropriate and sensitive in terms of siting and scale.”

According to documents lodged in support of the application, permission for tent pitches granted in 2020 has established the principle that the site can be used for overnight holiday use.

The applicant said they were looking to grow the business and safeguard existing jobs and help support the local economy.

Planning agents Berry’s said: “It is considered that the proposed layout and planting features plus existing management of the site will ensure that the holiday park can continue to operate in harmony with neighbouring residents.

“The proposal is of a moderate– scale which would not generate unacceptable levels of traffic and includes a minimum of one parking space per static caravan.”

At the meeting, principal planning officer, Richard Edwards is expected to recommend that councillors approve the proposal.