Agricultural storage building at Swallows Nest Tyr Pwll Parc Llettis Road Coldbrook, Abergavenny

“Proposal: Erection of a steel frame agricultural building on agricultural land (The outbuilding will be used primarily for animal feed and hay storage, and storage of agricultural equipment, large enough to house a farm tractor and associated attachments)”

“The building will be used primarily for animal feed and hay storage, and storage of agricultural equipment, large enough to house a farm tractor and associated attachments. No livestock will be kept in the building.”

“This application relates to an area of paddock adjacent to a dwelling in Hardwick, near Abergavenny. The site slopes down from north-east to south-west by an elevation of 8 metres over approximately 140 metres towards the main road between Abergavenny and Raglan. The paddock houses a group of alpacas and a small glamping site which is the subject of a concurrent planning application.”

“Additional information relating to the use of the proposed building provided. Proposal Description It is proposed to erect an outbuilding on the southeastern corner of the paddock measuring 12m x 8m (96m2) in area with an eaves height of approximately 4m and maximum ridge height of 5m.”

“DM/2022/01511 Change of use from empty residential land to tourism for camping/glamping. Construction of wash facilities supplemental to the glampsite. Construction of a field shelter for animals, doubling as an observation deck Refused 06.08.2025 DM/2023/01477 Retrospective planning permission for an outbuilding on the land adjoining Swallows Nest. Approved 20.12.2023 DM/2025/01607 Change of use from agricultural land to leisure and tourism for glamping.”

“Gobion Fawr Community Council - The Community Council has raised significant concerns in regard to the planning application DM/2025/01516 Swallows Nest.”

“Flood risk maps provided by Natural Resources Wales do not indicate the site to be at particular risk of flooding. Our database of previous flood events does not record any flood events in close proximity to the site. Our database of drainage and flood assets does not record any drainage or flood assets in close proximity to the site.”

“Lack of clear justification for a building of this scale and height for legitimate agricultural purposes. • Unacceptable scale, height, and siting of the structure, which would be overbearing and harmful to neighbouring residential amenity. • Located close to our boundary on the crest of an open field. It’s elevated and exposed position would make it highly visible from neighbouring properties and the wider area.”

“Without such evidence, the proposal fails to meet the tests normally applied to agricultural development in the open countryside and risks being agricultural in name only. • The development would require the formation of a roadway or access track, introducing further built features into an otherwise open field and exacerbating landscape and visual harm. • Buildings of this type typically require internal and external lighting, particularly during winter months.”

“The site is located outside any defined settlement boundary and is therefore considered to be open countryside. It is acknowledged that the site is not an existing agricultural holding, rather a paddock associated with a residential property although not residential curtilage.”

“Policy LC1 informs that there is a presumption against new built development in the open countryside, unless justified under national planning policy and/or LDP policies S10, RE3, RE4, RE5, RE6, T2 and T3 for the purposes of agriculture, forestry, 'one planet development', rural enterprise, rural / agricultural diversification schemes or recreation, leisure or tourism.”

“In noting the detail of the application and the views expressed, it was proposed by County Councillor Maureen Powell and seconded by County Councillor Dale Rooke that application DM/2025/01516 be approved subject to the conditions outlined in the report with the addition of two further conditions, namely:”

“To include a lighting condition as the application is located within a dark sky area.”

“We resolved that application DM/2025/01516 be approved subject to the conditions outlined in the report with the addition of two further conditions, namely:”