Pembrokeshire County Council has refused a retrospective planning application seeking permission to retain a glamping pod at Woodstock, Cold Inn, near Kilgetty, Wales, where the structure has been used for short-term visitor accommodation since June 2023.
The application, submitted by Janice Palin, sought permission for the retention of the glamping pod and a change of use of land to provide short-term visitor accommodation. The proposal followed discussions with a council enforcement officer regarding the pod, according to the supporting statement submitted with the application.
Woodstock includes a main dwelling and associated garden, as well as a Caravan and Motorhome Club Certificated Location (CL) with capacity for five caravans or motorhomes. The proposed glamping pod is located within the garden of the main dwelling, separated from the caravan site by a hedgerow.
According to The Tenby Observer, the application also noted that the pod uses the existing access from the main road serving the caravan site, with a dedicated parking space and pathway providing access to the accommodation.
In support of the retrospective application, the applicant argued that the pod’s operation since June 2023 provided evidence of its effects on the surrounding area.
The supporting statement said: “The glamping pod has been used for short-term holiday accommodation since June 2023. The structure is capable of removal and does not represent permanent built development. The operation of the glamping pod since 2023, provides valuable evidence regarding its actual impacts.”
The statement also said there had been no known complaints concerning noise, disturbance, privacy, highway safety, drainage, or landscape impact during the period of operation. It described the proposal as a small-scale expansion of an existing tourism business rather than the creation of a new tourism site.
The applicant further stated: “This development only comprises of one additional glamping pod, a modest diversification and enhancement of an existing tourism enterprise rather than the creation of a brand-new tourism site.”
However, Pembrokeshire County Council refused the application, determining that the proposal did not relate to an enterprise for which a countryside location was essential. The council also considered that it would introduce a new residential development for holiday accommodation in an area where such development was not permitted.
A second reason for refusal concerned the absence of a Green Infrastructure Statement. The council said the application did not provide the required appraisal of the site’s existing green infrastructure or demonstrate how green infrastructure had been incorporated into the proposed development.
For outdoor hospitality operators considering similar diversification projects, the decision illustrates that the operational history of a small accommodation unit does not by itself resolve planning requirements.
Even where an operator considers that an accommodation unit has generated limited impacts on neighbors, planning authorities may assess whether the use is appropriate in the site’s planning context and whether required supporting documentation has been submitted.
The case also highlights the distinction between an existing tourism enterprise and the planning status of an additional accommodation use.
For campground and caravan operators considering glamping as an expansion strategy, establishing whether the proposed accommodation is supported by local planning policy and preparing the required environmental or green infrastructure documentation before installation can be important, particularly when a site is located in a rural area.
