A call to keep an extension built for temporary family accommodation while works on an 18th century Pembrokeshire house are undertaken has been refused.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Richard Williams, through agent Oliver Llewelyn, sought permission for a retrospective extension at Afallon, Pen Y Bryn, near Cardigan, works having started in 2021.

A supporting statement accompanying the application said retrospective approval was sought for the retention of a section of a building originally erected as temporary accommodation to serve the needs of a family of four during construction work on Afallon, formerly known as Llain Fforest.

It added: “Llain Fforest, built in 1789, unoccupied for many years, was granted planning approval in 2023 as a reinstated dwelling. The structure the subject of this application stands adjacent to Llain Fforest and was erected in the belief that it was allowed as permitted development.

“The structure is located within a curtilage enclosing two houses within the same ownership. The adjoining property is known as Felin Ganol Isaf.

“The owner’s actions at Afallon (Llain Fforest) only commenced when an application for a replacement dwelling at the adjoining property with a house occupying the same location and footprint was refused.

“Part of the reason for the request for replacement at Felin Ganol was the need for additional living space for the family of four, which remains the requirement of the applicant. Although Felin Ganol Isaf has a Certificate of Lawful Use, it is in need of considerable work to restore functionality since the collapse of a large tree on the roof of the house.

“Both Felin Ganol Isaf and Llain Fforest are houses built at a time when all children of a family were expected to occupy one bedroom. Afallon (Llain Fforest) is a house smaller in size even than Felin Ganol Isaf and is not sufficient for a family of four.”

An officer report recommending refusal said an enforcement notice was issued last May relating to the erection of a glass-fronted, flat-roof building, constructed from storage containers, for residential purposes on the site.

The enforcement was appealed but was dismissed by Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) in June.

The report says the scheme “would not be compatible with the capacity and character of the site and the area within which is located, and it would result in a significant detrimental impact on local amenity in terms of visual impact”.

It went on to say: “The proposed development would not be of good design in that it pays no regard to local distinctiveness and does not contribute positively to the local context. It is not appropriate to the local character and landscape in terms of scale, form, siting, massing or detailing.”

The scheme was refused on those grounds.