Plans to regularize the use of just under 100 permanent and touring caravan pitches at a long-established holiday park near Crickhowell have been refused by planners at Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority.
In November 2025, Sarah and Martyn Farr submitted a Certificate of Lawful Use or Development application relating to Cwmdu Caravan and Camping Site, located around four miles north of Crickhowell, just off the A479.
The application sought to establish the lawful use of land for 31 permanent caravan pitches and 68 touring pitches, on the basis that the use had continued without interruption for the required ten-year period.
Supporting documents included maps dated 2016 and 2025, which the applicants said demonstrated the long-term presence and configuration of the pitches across the site. However, following an assessment of the submitted evidence, the authority concluded that it did not meet the legal threshold required to confirm lawful use under planning legislation.
In a decision notice, Bannau Brycheiniog’s Director of Planning and Place, Gareth Jones, stated:
“The evidence submitted with the application is not sufficiently precise and unambiguous to conclude that the use of Cwmdu Caravan and Camping Site, as outlined in red on the site location plan submitted with the application, has operated with 31 permanent pitches and 68 touring pitches continuously for the requisite time period of ten years prior to the date of the application and has therefore not become lawful.”
On this basis, the application was refused, according to Brecon & Radnor Express.
Cwmdu Campsite was established in 1964 by Olive and Eric Farr and remains a family-owned business. It is currently operated by Sarah Farr and her husband, Calvin Clark. In addition to caravan and touring pitches, the site includes holiday cottages and glamping units, with a mix of electric and non-electric pitches across both hardstanding and grass areas.
Despite the refusal, the site has received multiple industry accolades in recent years. In 2022, it was named “Best Campsite in Wales” by campsites.co.uk.
The platform also awarded the site “Best Campsite in Mid-Wales” in both 2023 and 2024, alongside a “Best Family Campsite in Mid-Wales” title in 2023. That same year, The Independent included the business in a list of “Top 10 Campsites to Visit.”
For operators across the outdoor hospitality, caravan, and glamping sectors, the decision highlights the evidentiary standards required when pursuing Certificates of Lawful Use. While long-standing operation and industry recognition may demonstrate commercial success, planning authorities require clear, consistent, and verifiable records covering pitch numbers, layouts, and continuity of use.
The case underlines the importance for site owners of maintaining detailed historical documentation, particularly where sites have evolved incrementally over time or diversified into mixed accommodation models.