A PROPOSED tourism development near Abergavenny which is partially in a flood zone could ultimately be decided by a Welsh Government minister.
At a meeting of Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority’s Planning committee on Tuesday, March 24, members will receive a report on a development of a mixed-use tourist complex by Keith and Rhiannon Byrne for land at the back of Hope House, Church Lane in the village of Govilon.
The scheme is made up of six tourist cabins with a mix of one, two or three bedrooms, a “boathouse” café, kayak store as well as provision for car and bicycle parking.
The scheme also includes the conversion of an existing outbuilding into a workshop.
The development is classed as a “highly vulnerable development” as it is in a flood zone.
This means that if the Planning committee members give the scheme the go ahead – it will be referred to Welsh Government ministers who have 21-day period to mull over the proposal and decide where or not to call in the scheme and take over the decision-making process.
Planning officer Lisa Williams said: “The stated aim of the applicants is to create a high-quality tourism site with a light-touch built form adjacent and incorporating the canal and its history.
“The scheme proposes to create a site which benefits the local community and establishes a vibrant tourism location along the canal to attract visitors to the local area.
“The boathouse café is to be located adjacent to the canal towpath to attract visitors and the passing trade and can be accessed directly from the canal towpath from the south.
“The aim of the scheme is to provide a link between Govilon and the canal towpath, creating a community benefit.”
The site has the Monmouthshire and Brecon canal flowing around it and new maps for the area show that the flooding risk for the site has decreased over time.
Ms Williams said: “The risk of flooding at the site has reduced from being entirely within a C2 flood zone to now being partially within a zone two and adjacent to zone three.
“This has provided significant weight in the decision-making process.”
“The flood consequences information submitted in relation to the development has demonstrated that the site meets the requirements of both the previous and new TAN (Technical Advice Note) 15 guidance.”
TAN 15 provides extra guidance within the Welsh Government Planning Policy on developments in areas where flooding or coastal erosion may be an issue.
Due to this Ms Williams believes that the proposal can be supported by members and points out that there are no other “outstanding concerns” that would hinder it.,
The recommendation is that members approve the proposal; and delegate power to the director of planning and place Gareth Jones to grant planning permission subject to planning conditions and referral to Welsh ministers.
A letter confirming planning permission approval can be sent to the applicants after the Welsh Government’s 21-day call-in period has expired.