Successful holiday business can remain

Planners acknowledge breach of planning consent but recognise boost to economy

West Devon councillors have said that a four-bed holiday let in a former barn can continue to operate despite the owners breaching a planning permission.

The barn at Pittescombe Farm was granted approval in 2013 but only for educational use with associated residential accommodation, not solely as a holiday let.

The owners had planned to run craft and art courses, but because of age and ill-health, they had been unable do this, West Devon Borough Council’s development management committee was told.

They opened the doors to holidaymakers in 2019 and had run a successful business with a five-star rating.

Planning officers advised the committee to turn down the retrospective application for the change of use from a barn to a holiday let because they said it was in an unsustainable and isolated location, two miles from Lamerton village.

They said people would have to use private vehicles rather than public transport which was limited in that area and there was no proven need for the development.

But planning agent Emily Heydon said the business was on a public footpath which could be used to access the village which had bus connections, a play area and a pub.

It supported local firms like chimney sweeps and cleaners to the tune of £12,000 a year and brought thousands of pounds into the local economy, “propping up” hospitality businesses in Lamerton and Tavistock.

She said the accommodation complied with planning policy as it reused a traditional building of significant heritage value –  a thrashing barn potentially dating back to the mid 1700s – which had become redundant and had needed minor alterations. It also enhanced the area, she said.

Introducing educational courses at this time would do “more harm than good” she said, as the couple, who lived in a house attached to the barn, were now in their eighties and did not want anyone else to come in and run them.

Cllr Neil Jory (Con, Milton Ford) accepted that this was a breach of planning permission, but it was a small scale development that already existed and caused no harm to the environment or setting.

It was also fully supported by Lamerton Parish Council.

He said he found the sustainability argument from officers “confusing” as the council accepted a couple of meetings ago that Lamerton was a sustainable location and approved a scheme for 19 homes despite the clear position that people would need to use a car for employment or shopping purposes.

On another occasion, the council refused an application on the edge Tavistock because it concluded it wasn’t sustainable, even though it was a flat 1.2km walk to the town centre.

Planning consent for the holiday let was approved.