Bonnie Fisher and Shane O’Neill, owners of Church House Farm Getaways near Carmarthen, have been ordered to remove several facilities at their caravan and campsite after Carmarthenshire Council determined that the structures and part of the site’s operations were not authorised.
The couple, who purchased the farmhouse and the existing caravan and campsite in the village of Llangain in 2021, invested tens of thousands of pounds in replacing the toilet and shower facilities, building a new reception, and operating three glamping pods.
“This is our retirement project,” said Mrs Fisher. “We sold my house, we sold Shane’s house, and we sold a jointly-owned cottage which we’d renovated to buy this place.”
The site is certified by the Caravan and Motorhome Club for up to five caravans, motorhomes, or trailer tents, but currently has 29 pitches. Three glamping pods were already present before their purchase.
Council records show the site’s expansion had previously been a concern; in 2006, the former owners were denied planning permission for 30 touring pitches and a permanent toilet and shower block on highway safety and other grounds, though a temporary portable toilet block had been permitted in 2004.
The couple applied retrospectively for planning permission for the new facilities but were refused, with the council stating that most of the site was unauthorised. An application for a certificate of lawfulness for the glamping pods was also rejected.
In March 2024, the council issued an enforcement notice requiring the removal of the pods, toilet and shower block, reception building, and cessation of caravan and campsite use beyond the certified area.
The couple appealed only to extend the compliance period from three months to a year, but the Planning and Environment Decisions Wales inspector dismissed the appeal, saying an extension “would considerably prolong the identified public harm.”
Mrs Fisher and Mr O’Neill employ three part-time staff and say the site contributes significantly to the local economy.
According to Mrs Fisher, a council tourism officer, previously estimated its value at £2.6 million in visitor spending.
Some residents have expressed support, citing the site’s good management and traffic control, while others have supported the enforcement action, claiming “total disregard” for planning rules.
The couple now plans to submit a new certificate of lawfulness application, arguing that the site’s wider use has a long history. “If that decision was upheld, we would have to close it (the site) down,” Mrs Fisher told Herald.Wales.
Carmarthenshire Council stated, “As the local planning authority, Carmarthenshire Council does not condone unauthorised development and will use its full range of powers to seek to regularise development in the public interest.”
For outdoor hospitality operators, the case underscores the importance of thoroughly reviewing planning histories and permissions before purchasing or expanding a site.
Failure to secure proper authorisation can result in significant financial loss, operational disruption, and the potential closure of a business, even when community and economic benefits are demonstrable.