PLANS for a pair of underground holiday lets at a site in Llanfair Caereinion have been given the green light.

The development, which will also include an underground hobbit playroom and access improvement, has been given the go ahead at agricultural land in Melin Y Grug.

With two lets featured included in the proposal, planning agent Roger Parry & Partners LLP labelled the plans a ‘small scale’ development in the planning statement.

It adds: “It is situated in an area where tourism is very popular, where the landscape, public footpaths and other services, are popular, and therefore this sustainable method of accommodation will work well with the existing tourism businesses.

“The proposed layout of the site has been designed to fit into the surroundings and to be unobtrusive into the countryside.

“The holiday lets have been chosen to blend into the surroundings and as such would not be seen within the wider context.”

The two ‘hobbit homes’ will be eco-friendly and designed out of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE). The lets will also have real grass roofs.

It is hoped the plans will be able to provide relaxing accommodation which will fit in with the tourism businesses already present in and around the town.

The planning statement continued: “Tourism is a vital part of Powys’ economy, with its beautiful countryside combined with its history and culture attracting a vast amount of tourist activity.

“The proposal will also benefit from the number of rights of way in close proximity as they are regarded as tourist assets and go hand-in-hand with the accommodation.”

The statement outlines how the number of vehicle movements at the site will be minimal due to the low number of lets.

Similar developments have been approved recently in Powys, with hobbit home accommodation in Llanrhaeadr given the go ahead in January.