Plans for a barn conversion near Welshpool have been thrown out by the Welsh Government on appeal.

At a meeting of Powys County Council’s Planning, Taxi Licensing and Rights of Way committee on Thursday, June 27 councillors will receive a Welsh Government appointed planning inspector’s report on the appeal made against the council by Graham and Fiona Edwards.

In December 2022, the couple applied for planning permission to convert an agricultural building into a four bedroom house at Llyswen Farm, Burgedin, between the villages of Arddleen and Guilsfield.

The L shaped building was built in the 1980s and is “relatively disused”.

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But last year Powys planning officers refused the application as the conversion would create a “new dwelling in the open countryside”, contrary to the Local Development Plan and government policy.

Mr and Mrs Edwards lodged an appeal with Planning and Environment Decisions Wales, with planning agent Doug Hughes of Hughes Architects arguing that problems with the proposal had been discussed as part of a previous planning application which had been withdrawn and replaced by a fresh application.

The new plans explained how the existing structure would be retained with the building would be “enhanced and added to” rather than altered.

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The appeal documents states that the applicants believed that the planning officer did not “engage” with the new application and that a decision of refusal was “pre-determined.”

But planning inspector Aidan McCooey said: “The main issue is whether the proposed development would comply with guidance on the re-use and adaptation of existing rural buildings in the countryside.

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“The proposal would also involve major alterations and the creation of a new timber frame structure within the existing building.

“The necessary works constitute substantial construction and alterations in order to accommodate the residential use.”

Mr McCooey explained that the appellant argued that the proposal would provide “much needed housing in the community” and would constitute sustainable development as it would use an existing building.

But Mr McCooey said: “However, allowing the conversion of a building requiring major alteration and intervention resulting in a more widespread distribution of unjustified residential development in the countryside would result in the development failing to meet the sustainability aims of PPW (Planning Policy Wales) and Technical Advice Note (TAN) six.

“Having taken all relevant matters into consideration, I conclude that the appeal should be dismissed.”