A revised proposal to expand a glamping site near Abergavenny, Wales, has been recommended for approval after two previous applications were rejected over concerns about noise and the potential impact on a neighboring property.
Elizabeth Pengelly of Cwtch Glamping Ltd has submitted updated plans for Swallow’s Nest field on Parc Llettis Road in Hardwick, just south of Abergavenny. The latest application proposes adding one shepherd hut to the two huts currently operating on a temporary-use basis, along with a portable washroom and a timber animal shelter.
The revised scheme would allow a maximum of 10 guests to stay at the site at any one time, a reduction from the capacity of up to 28 people proposed in an earlier application. Each hut would accommodate no more than two adults, with one hut also able to accommodate a child.
The proposal follows two previous refusals. In July 2025, Monmouthshire County Council’s planning committee rejected an application to expand the site with additional shepherd huts and bell tents. Concerns centered on potential noise impacts for residents of nearby Amberleigh House.
During that meeting, Councillor Dale Rook said: “Tents are naturally not soundproofed so any shenanigans going on inside will be heard in the wider vicinity.”
Pengelly subsequently appealed the decision to Planning and Environment Decisions Wales. The appeal was also rejected, with independent planning inspector Lowri Hughson-Smith supporting concerns about the potential effect of noise on Amberleigh House.
Following the appeal decision, issued in June 2026, Pengelly submitted another application after receiving advice from council planning officers and further revised the proposal.
The latest plans seek to address some of the concerns raised during the previous applications. The parking area would be moved closer to the applicant’s home, while a guest policy would establish operating rules for visitors. Quiet hours would run from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m., during which guests would be asked not to make noise and would be prohibited from using hot tubs. Check-in would end at 10 p.m.
Guests would also be prohibited from using amplified speakers or generators. The rules would be provided during the booking process and displayed inside the accommodation. The owners would act as a point of contact for guests, with complaints required to be investigated.
The proposed washroom and shepherd hut would be portable and mounted on wheels, allowing the structures to be removed if the site were no longer used for glamping.
However, the revised plans continue to face objections. Gobian Fawr Community Council has maintained its opposition, while the owners of Amberleigh House have also objected. Among their concerns, they said that “numerous occasions, visitors have knocked on our door late at night seeking directions to the campsite”.
The council has received 14 objections to the latest application, with other concerns also raised by local residents.
For campground and glamping operators, the application highlights the importance of managing the relationship between guest operations and neighboring properties, particularly when accommodation is located close to residential homes.
Measures such as defined quiet hours, limits on guest numbers, controlled check-in times and clear visitor policies can provide a framework for managing noise and late-night activity, although the case also demonstrates that such measures do not necessarily eliminate objections during the planning process.
Monmouthshire County Council’s planning committee is scheduled to consider the latest application at County Hall in Usk at 2 p.m. on Monday, September 7, 2026. The committee’s decision will determine whether the revised proposal can proceed, according to South Wales Argus.
