HOLIDAY accommodation fit for Bilbo and Frodo Baggins could be built near Llanrhaeadr-yn-Mochnant.

The Morris family have applied for planning permission to build two "Hobbit houses” with the associated infrastructure at Trewern farm to the east of the village.

There they have a 320-acre sheep and dairy cattle farm.

Agent, Richard Corbett, explained the proposal in a planning and design statement.

Mr Corbett said: “The Morris family would like to offer a unique holiday experience, allowing visitors to relax and escape in this rural setting while having tourist attractions nearby.

“The clients have realised the need to diversify due to the unpredictable dairy market.

“The proposed development site includes the area of land to incorporate two hobbit houses, the proposed access and car-parking spaces.

“The small site can be developed without detrimental effect on the surrounding landscape. ”

Mr Corbett added that tourism is one of the largest employers and rival’s agriculture in its economic importance to Powys, supporting more than 12,300 jobs

Mr Corbett said:  “Tourism in Powys helps to support other industries such as agriculture, crafts and local services.

“Although only a small site, it will contribute to the local economy from the construction stage through to bringing visitors to the area.”

A major study conducted by Tripadvisor has found that ‘getting back to nature’ holidays is set to be the new holiday trend.

They found that travellers are much more likely to want to take a trip

where they can relax compared to before the pandemic.

Mr  Corbett added: “The Hobbit houses are eco friendly, and are designed out of recycled waste plastic with a real grass roof.

“The proposed development can be sited and developed without detrimental effect on the surrounding landscape and the existing trees”

Created by the academic and fantasy novelist, JRR Tolkien, Hobbits are a race resembling very short humans, who live in underground houses in a part of Middle-Earth known as The Shire.

Bilbo Baggins is the main character in The Hobbit also called There and Back Again – where he  is selected by the wizard Gandalf to help a dwarf King and his band of warriors re-claim their ancestral home and treasure from a dragon.

The much darker Lord of the Rings has  Frodo as the protagonist and his quest is to take the ring he inherits from his Uncle Bilbo, to be destroyed in the fires of Mount Doom in Mordor, and save Middle-Earth from the evil Sauron.

The ring which Bilbo found during his adventure, grants the wearer invisibility, but was made by the  Sauron to control the other rings of power made to dominate the peoples of Middle Earth.