Plans to allow a garage at a house in Pembrokeshire to be converted to a family annexe/holiday let, which could lead to the applicants avoiding the 182-day letting rule, have been approved.

In an application recommended for approval at the April 29 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee, Courtney Curtis-Jones sought permission for the conversion to a new one-bedroom self-contained holiday let, and annexe to be used by the applicant’s family and friends, at Dallas, Portfield Gate, near Haverfordwest.

A report for planners said it was “only the holiday use element of the proposal that would result in a conflict with policy”.

It added: “The applicant has advised that the use as an annex for visiting family would constitute approximately 40 per cent of the occupancy of the unit and that use as a holiday let would be for a limited time, likely also to be 40 per cent of the occupancy. It is suggested that the unit would not be occupied for approximately 20 per cent of the year.

“The use of the proposed annex for holiday letting purposes would not involve further new construction in the countryside and would be a sustainable use of the existing building in an area that although not well-related to a town, service centre or service village does have some functional connection to Haverfordwest.

“These material considerations are considered to carry significant weight and would justify an approval subject to a condition limiting the extent of the annex and holiday use to that indicated in the supporting information provided by the applicant.”

At the April meeting, a statement from Miss Curtis-Jones was read out, saying she would like the option to be able to rent out the conversion as a let as “this idea first came to use when we moved to the village a few years ago and were aware of multiple holiday rentals within the Portfield Gate area”.

It added the owners were “a young couple wishing to expand our home,” with the let option offering financial support during a cost-of-living crisis.

Committee vice-chair Cllr Rhys Jordan, who later moved approval, said the part-holiday let condition could lead to the applicants avoiding the 182-day holiday let rule and also the second homes tax premium for lets not meeting the criteria, adding: “It will actually help the viability in terms of the punitive 182-day policy and the council tax policy this council has decided to adopt”.

Members heard the departure from policy would “require specific further work needed by officers for appropriate control,” the council tax element being outside the planning remit.

Councillor Michael Williams, who was later the lone voice voting against the scheme, expressed concerns about the capacity of enforcement officers to police the planning conditions.

The application was passed by 13 votes to one.