A campsite that has been running for two years near Welshpool has been refused planning permission to further develop the site.

Having hosted tents and campers, the field at Forest View in Llangadfan after Powys County Council refused to grant the site a longer period of occupancy.

The owners of the land submitted a planning application to change the use of the land from agricultural to a registered tented campsite.

The plan was that, with planning application, they would carry out associated works to further develop the site as a camping destination, going through the council rather than applying for a license from the Caravan and Camping Club as the owner had no interest in allowing touring vehicles on the site.

The planning application stated: “The proposed scheme for change of use of land to tented campsite, and associated works is considered modest in scale and design within an agricultural field landscaped by existing trees, which is in line with current planning policies.

“The beauty and variety of the Powys Country side creates an attractive area for tourists. Tourism is an important element of the rural economy, and it has been estimated that tourism for Wales equates to 7 percent of Wales’ GDP.

“The proposal fundamentally complies with the overarching national planning policies that relate to tourism developments, together with the tourism policies of the adopted Local Development Plan. We therefore ask that the proposals are supported.”

However, Powys County Council rejected the planning application, putting an end to the proposal to further develop the site for the time being and its ability to serve as a campsite.

The council sited traffic in the area as a major concern, stating that development of the site would increase traffic movements through a constrained highway network and impact highway safety.

The delegated report states: “The Local Highways Authority raise particular concerns regarding the highway network to the north of the proposed development site due to the width and alignment of the highway and narrow, elevated roadside verges.

“Any vehicles meeting along this stretch of highway are routinely forced to reverse significant distances in order to pass due to the lack of adequate passing bays.

“Most of the reversing manoeuvres would be hazardous due to the raised verges and hedgerows which bound the highway and restricted forward visibility along most of the highway.”