REGRET was expressed that a county councillor and former member of the planning committee had already built farm sheds before applying for planning permission.
Powys County Council’s planning committee gave Cllr Timothy Van Rees (Independent – Llanwrtyd Wells) permission for his retrospective application for two big sheds at Glanirfon Farm.
The committee was shown pictures of the sheds that had already been built there as officers backed the application
Planning officer Rhys Evans did not know the exact date they had been built but said they were not on the Google Earth pictures – which had been taken in 2009.
Documents lodged by Cllr Van-Rees indicated that building work began on the sheds in early May 2018.
But the planning application was not lodged until the end of November, more than six months later.
Planning case officer, Rhys Evans, told councillors that the main planning consideration was whether it would cause any unacceptable adverse effects on the landscape.
Mr Evans believed that the principle of the development complied with relevant planning policy and advised councillors to approve the application.
Cllr Francesca Jump (Liberal Democrats – Welshpool Gungrog) said: “It’s always a regret when we get a retrospective application especially when it’s from a councillor who has been on a previous planning committee.”
One shed measures 18.2 metres in length, 12.2 metres in width and a height of 5.5 metres to the ridge.
The second ridge is 14 metres in length by five metres in width and a height to the ridge of 4.9 metres.
Cllr Hywel Lewis (Independent – Llangunllo) asked: “If this was not an application by a county councillor it would not have been coming in from us.”
Planning development manager, Gwilym Davies, replied: “If this had not been submitted by a county councillor, the devlopement would probably have been dealt with under delegated powers.”
After the reply, Cllr Lewis moved that the application be passed and the motion was seconded by the Cllr E Michael Jones (Independent – Old Radnor).
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