The Whistle Inn in Blaenavon has submitted an amended planning application that would reduce the number of touring caravan pitches at its campsite and allow space for shepherd huts already operating on the site to be retained.
The pub, which sits near Garn Lakes and the Blaenavon and Pontypool Heritage Railway, currently provides camping and caravan accommodation alongside glamping facilities. Owners Paul and Nat Garratt, who took over the nearly 200-year-old pub in March 2022, are seeking permission to retain 10 shepherd huts that are already located on the property.
The amended application clarifies the status of the shepherd huts, which had been identified as “proposed” in the original application. The earlier plans also included a request to retain a single glamping pod that was already on the site before the Garratts took over the business.
The planning application covers changes to the existing accommodation layout, including a reduction in the number of touring caravans that can be accommodated. It also seeks to retain and widen the site’s access road and caravan plots, as well as the existing playground and its two-meter-high wire mesh fencing.
The Whistle Inn is located close to several tourism attractions in the Blaenavon area, including Big Pit National Coal Museum and the Blaenavon Ironworks. The site also serves as the terminus for the Blaenavon Heritage Railway, a steam railway that operates along a 3.5-mile route toward the World Heritage Site.
The application statement said the proposed accommodation reflects visitor demand in the area. “The applicant believes there is demand for such facilities, as Blaenavon receives approximately 235,000 visitors annually due to attractions including the Iron Works, Big Pit and Heritage Railway.”
For campground and glamping operators, the application illustrates how accommodation mixes can be adjusted as visitor demand changes. Replacing some touring capacity with fixed glamping units can allow a property to broaden its accommodation offering while making use of existing infrastructure, although such changes remain subject to local planning requirements and site-specific considerations.
The site’s location also places it within reach of the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park, providing opportunities for visitors to use the accommodation as a base for exploring attractions and outdoor destinations in the wider area. For operators in tourism-focused locations, proximity to established attractions and transportation or visitor infrastructure can be an important consideration when assessing the potential demand for different accommodation types.
Torfaen Borough Council’s planning department is currently considering the amended application, according to the Abergavenny Chronicle. Members of the public and other interested parties have until Wednesday, August 26, to submit comments on the changes.
The outcome will determine whether the Whistle Inn can formally retain the 10 shepherd huts and proceed with the revised balance between touring caravan and glamping accommodation at the site.