Trout Farm Plans Don’t Hold Water

Plans to build holiday chalets at a trout fishery in north Pembrokeshire are expected to be turned down by county planners next week.

An application to provide nine accommodation cabins and ancillary works at a former fishery business at Millbrook, Manorwen, Fishguard, is recommended for refusal when it comes before county planners on April 25.

The application was previously heard at the March 14 when it was again recommended for refusal; members of the committee instead agreeing to a site visit.

Officers had recommended the application by Messrs L & C Williams be refused on the grounds it would have an unacceptable adverse impact on the character and appearance of the countryside.

The application – diversification of an existing agricultural holding and trout fishery business – was a resubmission of a similar scheme withdrawn from the November meeting of the planning committee, which had also been recommended for refusal.

A report for planners said commercial farming at the site ended in 1998, but that use of the pond as a recreational trout fishery, which commenced in 1994, had continued to date.

However, it added there is no ready evidence of recent use for recreational fishery on-site.

At the March meeting, local councillor Delme Harris said the site was “on the outskirts of Fishguard,” rather than being a development in the open countryside.

In a plea to members, Cllr Harris said the application was “an opportunity to bring people into the north of the county,” adding: “Let’s support a family who want to invest in the Bro Gwaun ward.”

Cllr Harris told members the only local objections raised had been over an unrelated access point on the land.

Councillor Brian Hall moved the committee take part in a site visit, supported by Cllr Jamie Adams, who said there was a need to work with developers pro-actively: “I don’t think it’s a responsibility of a planning authority to say: ‘No,’ I think it’s an opportunity for a planning authority to work with applicants.”

Since the March 30 site visit, officers are again recommending refusal, again on the grounds it would have an unacceptable adverse impact on the character and appearance of the countryside.