Retrospective plans to change the nature of holiday lodges at a ‘Gold Award winning’ luxury Pembrokeshire holiday site close to Bluestone are expected to be approved today.

In an application recommended for approval at the July 29 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee, Mr and Mrs Lewis seek permission for a change of use from serviced holiday lodges to allow hybrid self-catering and serviced holiday lodges at Canaston Oaks, Canaston Bridge, near Narberth.

The site has won multiple Visit Wales Gold Awards and wishes to upgrade its existing holiday accommodation to provide both self-catering and serviced catering for customers.

A supporting statement through agent Harries Planning Design Management says: “Canaston Oaks currently offers Gold Award winning five-star luxury accommodation to its customers and is seeking to develop its facilities in line with customer demand, to broaden its overall offer on site. It is strategically located in mid Pembrokeshire off the A40 at Canaston Bridge, forming part of a cluster of tourism attractions and accommodation in the area.

“However, the applicant seeks to offer its customers self-catering in lodges Unit 1 and Unit 2, by incorporating a basic kitchenette. This retrospective proposal is largely due to the geography of local amenities. The closest local supermarkets, restaurants and other amenities are over three miles away.

“Often families and couples staying at their lodges arrive at varying times of the day and night and as such the applicant wishes for their customers to be able to offer self-catering, comparable to their neighbouring Bluestone resort. Further to this, there are no changes proposed externally to allow these units to function as self-catering.”

It adds: “The existing hub building at Canaston Oaks provides breakfast and evening meals to customers on site. However, offering a hybrid form of self-catering and serviced site they would be able to offer more year-round accommodation.”

An officer report recommending approval says: “The application seeks planning permission in retrospect for a hybrid use of two previously approved serviced holiday lodges to be able to be used for serviced or self-catering accommodation. The lodges have been erected and are set around a lake within the established complex known as Canaston Oaks.

“Information provided with the application states that the proposal is due to customer demand and would support the continued use of a Gold Award Winning holiday accommodation business.”

It adds: “Whilst the original development at Canaston Oaks was for the conversion of barns to serviced accommodation, conversion to self-catering accommodation would also have been acceptable in planning policy terms. The lodges were approved as an extension to the existing serviced accommodation, but if the original development had been for self-catering accommodation the lodges would have been an acceptable extension.”