THE Welsh Government has still not made a decision over a controversial planning application on the outskirts of Guilsfield.

At the planning committee meeting on October 3, councillors were advised that they could only give an opinion on an application before them, as the final decision could be made by the local government minister, Julie James AM.

She had been asked to “call in the application” to build a holiday cabin at Llidiart Wood, Laundry Lane, Moelygarth, near Guilsfield.

Planning permission only becomes effective or granted when applicants receive a formal letter confirming it.

Councillors were informed that the Minister will read the officer’s report on the application before deciding whether or not to take over the process and make the decision herself.

This is supposed to take 21 days from when the minister receives the files.

A spokesman for The Welsh Government told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “The application is still under consideration”.

At the meeting planning officers had recommended approving the scheme but several councillors worried that the development would be in an ancient woodland.

Principal planning offcer Gemma Bufton assured them that the county ecologist had considerefd the proposal and that it: “would not result in the loss or deterioration of ancient woodland”.

After an hour and 20 minutes discussing the proposal the committee voted 15 to four in favour of the application.

The professional lead (planning officer) in consultation with the committee  chairman Cllr Karl Lewis and vice-chairman Cllr E Michael Jones would grant the decision after PCC has “heard from (the) Welsh Government”.

Earlier in the meeting Cllr David Jones (Independent- Guilsfield) had spoken in favour of the application while Mrs Blackburn and Mrs Wandsworth had raised objections.