An appeal against a National Park refusal last year of a shepherd hut holiday let in a Pembrokeshire village has been turned down.

In an application refused by Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority last August, Alex Mazaheri of Melrose, Whitehill, near Cresselly sought retrospective permission for a shepherd hut holiday let, and car parking space in the property grounds.

Works started in early 2025.

An officer report said a number of concerns had been raised by members of the public including the work already having been carried out, and the hut’s close proximity to the highway at one of the narrowest points of the road.

The application was refused on the grounds including it represented ‘unjustified new development in the countryside,’ it would ‘appear visually intrusive and discordant within the street scene and surrounding rural landscape,’ and ‘insufficient information was provided to demonstrate that the proposal would achieve nutrient neutrality within the Pembrokeshire Marine Special Area of Conservation (SAC) catchment’.

An appeal lodged with Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW), said the applicant ‘contends that the refusal was disproportionate and failed to properly reflect the modest scale of the proposal’.

It added: ‘Neighbours and passers by have commented positively on the hut, noting its modest and sympathetic appearance.

‘Following refusal, local press coverage generated a number of public comments, the majority of which were supportive of the proposal.’

It went on to say Mr Mazaheri had ‘not sought to evade planning control but had instead acted in good faith, investing in landscaping and improvements for the immediate area while applying for planning in an open and transparent manner’.

In the appeal documentation local community council Carew raised concerns about access to the site, along with other concerns raised by local objectors.

One, local county councillor Vanessa Thomas, had raised concerns about the retrospective nature and potential road safety issues.

She said: “The position of the Shepherd’s Hut is extremely close to the highway, and in one of the narrowest parts of the road. The positioning of the hut, along with the proposed access to the site, I feel are extremely dangerous, and should therefore not be allowed to remain where it is.”

PEDW’s inspector recently decided on the appeal, describing it as one of a ‘modest scale and sympathetic design’ that ‘integrates well with the surrounding dwellings and their outbuildings’.

However, the issue of highway safety, particularly access from the site ‘would give rise to an undue risk of conflict between vehicles and other uses of the road,’ the inspector felt.

Another issue was the ongoing nutrient neutrality need, which is currently limiting many developments in the county.

The inspector said they ‘cannot conclude with any certainty that the foul drainage arrangements for the development are suitable,’ adding: “I cannot reasonably conclude that the development does not result in an increase in phosphate levels to the SAC, nor adversely affect its integrity.’

The decision added: “Although I have found that the development is acceptable in terms of its impacts on the countryside and the PCNP and the biodiversity interests of the site, this does not outweigh or justify the harm to highway safety and the integrity of the SAC.

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“Neither does the appellant’s personal circumstances. For the above reasons, and having regard to all matters raised, I conclude that the appeal should be dismissed.”