Golf course owner’s hopes of new house are off the fairway
A GOLF course owner’s hopes of building a new house nearby have been bunkered.
Robert Walters, of Derllys Court Golf Club, Bancyfelin, also wanted to build a new store to house machinery needed to maintain the fairways and greens.
Carmarthenshire planning officers said they felt the need for a new house had not been justified, and that there were other options the applicant could potentially explore.
Speaking on behalf of Mr Walters at a planning committee meeting, councillor Irfon Jones said a nine-hole golf course and clubhouse were built at the family farm in 1995, but that running both the golf and farm businesses became a struggle.
The course, which has 400 members and six employees, was extended to 18 holes in 2004.
Mr Jones said the farm was likely to be sold in the future as a result of a family decision, and that Mr Walters and his wife would therefore require somewhere to live.
He said that, according to the applicant, a stone building, which planning officers felt could be an option to convert into living accommodation, was in the farm courtyard and would not be available when the farm was sold.
Mr Jones added that two flats above the clubhouse were not big enough for a family home and were being rented out longterm.
“After working hard all his life he could end up without a house,” he said.
Councillor Tyssul Evans said he could not support his colleague’s call to go against the officers’ recommendation for refusal.
“I think the planning officer has given us a report which clearly says there are other options available for the applicant,” he said.
Councillor Dorian Phillips disagreed, arguing that the outbuildings deemed as having potential conversion would not be available to Mr Walters when the farm was sold.
Councillor Gareth Thomas said he felt there was a piece of land closer to the clubhouse which the applicant could consider for development rather than the site he had applied for, which was closer to the farmhouse.
Mr Jones disagreed, saying “there is no room to build a house there”.
An officer said the planning department could only deal with the application before them, and that “in our view a new dwelling has not been justified”.
The committee voted in favour of the recommendation for refusal by 10 votes to four, with two abstentions.