Barn approved despite flooding fears

By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporter

Plans for a barn at a farm in Meifod which will be affected by flooding from the nearby Vyrnwy river, have been approved by Powys councillors.

At a meeting of Powys County Council’s Planning committee on Thursday, January 30 councillors received a planning application by EM and JR Evans to build an extension to an agricultural building and all associated works at Dyffryn, Meifod.

The proposed building will now measure 42 metres by 20 metres and would have a maximum ridge height of 7.6 metres.

It will be used to keep livestock.

The land (pictured) is owned by Conservative Cllr Jonathan Wilkinson who declared an interest and left the meeting while the application was discussed.

Planning Committee Solicitor, Rachel Mole, said: “Just to make members aware in view of Cllr Wilkinson’s interest in this application in line with the protocol I have reviewed the file, and it has been processed correctly.”

Senior Planning Officer, Kate Bowen, said: “Members may recall that we had a very similar application, I think it was last June, just adjacent to this proposed one. The key constraint is that it is in a flood zone.”

The river Vyrnwy flows nearby and photographs from Welsh Government environment watchdog, Natural Resources Wales (NRW) were shared with the committee and showed the extent of flooding problems at the site.

NRW have raised concerns that this proposal is a “further intensification” of building on green field land in the flood zone and closer to the river.

They have said that it is “difficult” to measure of the loss of flood plain storage land or that this will affect other buildings and residents downstream.

Mrs Bowen said: “Being an agricultural building it is a less vulnerable development.”

She explained that “less vulnerable” developments at risk of flooding are still subject to justification tests set out in TAN 15 (Technical Advice Note).

These included promoting economic development.

Mrs Bowen said: “We’re satisfied in that respect. We’ve come to the conclusion without strong evidence from NRW that identified that risk of flooding elsewhere, our view is one of approval.”

She added that NRW have asked to be told of the decision so that they can scrutinise the plans again and decide if it’s necessary to refer the scheme to Welsh Government planning inspectors.

Plaid Cymru’s Cllr Elwyn Vaughan asked if there was two or three metres high “bund” to be built around the building and protect it from flooding.

“I would have expected one as part of the design,” said Cllr Vaughan.

Mrs Bowen said there was “no bund” proposed in the application.

Conservative Cllr Gareth Pugh said: “The only major concern here is flooding and that hasn’t gone under the radar. NRW will have another chance, so let’s leave it to the professionals.

“I would recommend we approve the application.”

The committee went to a vote which saw 13 councillors back the scheme and one abstain.

Committee chairman, Cllr Gareth D Jones said: “We have got that fall back that this is going to NRW.”