A full planning application seeking permission for the erection of a new agricultural building at a farm in Crymych will go before the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority’s development management committee next week.

The application (Ref: NP/25/0249/FUL) is for a proposed building at Trewern Farm, Felindre Farchog, which will be used as a machinery workshop associated with the ongoing agricultural use of the holding.

Trewern Farm is a traditional agricultural holding located in open countryside approximately 1.2km south-west of Felindre Farchog. The site lies within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park but outside any defined settlement boundary. The farm complex comprises a mix of traditional stone outbuildings and modern agricultural sheds, forming a compact cluster set within undulating pastureland.

The landscape in this part of the National Park is characterised by enclosed fields with mature hedgerows and occasional areas of woodland. The farmstead is accessed via a single-track rural lane which connects to the A487 to the north.

Officers met on site with the applicant and their agents to discuss potential concerns regarding the scale and siting of the proposed development, and to ascertain that the building is reasonably necessary for agricultural purposes. During the initial assessment, officers expressed concerns that the siting and design would have a negative impact on the surrounding area.

Following these discussions, the applicant has amended the proposal.

The building has been repositioned so that it will sit lower in the landscape, positioned below the height of existing farm buildings and also lower than the farmhouse. These revised plans were received on 29th July, 2025.

The design and siting of the building is considered acceptable within the wider complex of buildings. The proposed building under the current application would be sited within the developed envelope of the farmstead, consistent with the pattern of approved agricultural development over the past two decades.

It does not extend the built footprint into open countryside and is in keeping with the operational character and lawful use of the site. The proposed siting is considered acceptable as the development would be located on a part of the farmyard already used for the storage of machinery.

The proposal would therefore consolidate built development within the existing functional area of the holding, avoiding encroachment into open countryside or undeveloped land.

Officers also note that the nature and intended use of the building as a machinery workshop is consistent with the current use of the area and the operational needs of the farm. It is not considered appropriate or necessary for livestock accommodation to be sited in this location, given its established function as a machinery storage yard.

The planning case officer’s recommendation to the planning committe on September 3, will be to approve the application, subject to conditions.