POWYS County Council has thrown out a complaint made by Guilsfield Community Council into the way it dealt with a planning application in the village.

In October 2020, Powys's planning committee approved an outline application to build nine homes at the former Fairview garage in the middle of Guilsfield.

The village's communtiy council thought the application was on hold amid the Covid-19 crisis, and had not given PCC an opinion on the scheme before it was decided.

Guilsfield Community Council meetings were suspended from March to September, during which time members did not meet to discuss the application, which was submitted in March.

But a formal complaint lodged in December 2020 has now been dismissed by the county authority, and that was discussed at Guilsfield's February meeting.

Cllr Ed Davies said: “It was no surprise really, it was expected.

“The comment saying that we had plenty of time to consider took no account that the planning officers had changed.”

Vice chairman Cllr Glynne Turner added: “I just wish I had the resources to fight them, what really annoys me on the whole process is they could have spoken to us.”

Chairman Cllr Ian Harris pointed out that a Judicial Review application had been made over a contentious planning permission at Hendomen near Montgomery.

He also highlighted that another legal challenge against a planning permission had been successful.

Cllr Harris said: “There was an application in Knighton regarding a chicken farm, where there had been a substantial objection by people which was ignored by planners.

“They did crowdfunding to fund a Judicial Review which caused PCC to back down.

“That’s quite a useful tip for the future.”

Cllr Harris added: “Im not sure what we’re going too get out of any more letters to them, we have the option of raising this with the ombudsman, but is there any point to that?”

Both Cllr Davies and Turner recommended “drawing a line” as continuing to complain was “getting nowhere.”

The report on the complaint by a PCC case officer said: “With regards to the community council’s ability to hold a meeting, I note that the community council held a meeting on the September 16, 2020, which was prior to the determination of the planning application.

“Whilst accepting that the community council wished to undertake a public consultation event, it is my opinion that the planning application subject to this complaint could have been considered at the meeting.”

“With regards to the planning committee on October 1, 2020, the community council was notified that the application was to be determined at the October Planning Committee on September 22 .

“This in my opinion provided the council the ability to either forward a consultation response or make representations at the planning committee meeting.

“Considering the evidence I do not uphold your complaint.”