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Powys County Times
a day ago
- Business
- Powys County Times
Brecon Beacons holiday lets to become homes as rates soar
Holiday accommodation in a popular Powys visitor destination could be turned into affordable homes after Welsh Government policy saw its rates soar by £10,000 a year. An application by Mr and Mrs Hopkins would change the use of three holiday chalets and manager's accommodation off the A438 between Bronllys and Pont Ithel from short term holiday accommodation, into four permanent affordable dwellings. Of the four chalets three have two bedrooms and one has three bedrooms. Planning agent Samuel Organ of CO2 architects explained the proposal in a planning statement. Mr Organ said: 'The chalets at Beacons Edge have been let as short-term holiday accommodation for many years. 'However, recent changes to Welsh Government policy concerning the taxation of self-catering properties have significantly impacted the viability of such businesses. 'This application seeks a change of use from holiday accommodation to local needs housing." Mr Organ explains that an order came into force in 2023 stating that holiday properties must be available to be let for 252 days a year, and used for at least 182 days. Mr Organ said: 'To qualify for non-domestic rates, the chalets, despite active marketing, have only achieved a maximum of 156 letting days annually per unit, falling short of this threshold. 'As a result, the Valuation Office Agency removed the business from the non-domestic rating list on April 1, 2023, and the properties are now subject to domestic Council Tax. 'The annual Council Tax liability across the four units is now £10,433.88, a dramatic increase from the previous £372.99 a year in business rates, making the holiday letting model unviable.' Mr Organ continued: 'This application proposes to repurpose the chalets as permanent residential dwellings for local needs housing, thereby bringing them into productive and sustainable use.' While Beacons edge is outside a 'formally' defined settlement boundary Mr Organ stresses how close the site is to Bronllys and Pont Ithel. Mr Organ said: 'This makes the site an appropriate location for local needs housing, in line with both Powys LDP (Local Development Plan) policy and national guidance. 'The site's location near Talgarth, Bronllys, and Brecon all of which offer services, schools, and employment, this makes it ideally situated for households with a strong local connection. 'The applicant is willing to enter into a section 106 agreement to ensure these homes are retained for local needs.' This means that if the chalet become affordable homes they would be suited for 'young families, local workers and those wishing to downsize". Mr Organ said: 'The proposal represents a sustainable, low-impact solution that will deliver real community benefit and support rural vitality.' A decision on the application is expected by August 18.
Scotsman
5 days ago
- Politics
- Scotsman
Edinburgh Council agrees to explore ban on purpose-built student accommodation
Options for bringing in a ban on the development of new student accommodation units In Edinburgh are set to be brought before councillors later this year. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... City officers have been asked to explore options for a ban on controversial purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) projects, and present them to the city's Planning Committee in September for a decision. A majority of councillors backed the motion calling for a ban to be explored, after it was proposed by SNP councillor Danny Aston. But 10 opposed it, with one saying a ban would be 'premature'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad SNP councillor Danny Aston at Jock's Lodge, where new student accommodation is due to be built. | supplied At the meeting, Cllr Aston said: 'It seems to me that developers aren't taking the changing circumstances into account. 'My concern is that if the council doesn't step in as the state body responsible as the planning authority to rein in the market here, our city may be left disfigured by white elephant PBSA developments that no-one wants.' PBSA projects often draw significant protest from the communities they are built in. One recent development in Jock's Lodge, which went on to be approved, drew over 1,000 public objections. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Opponents say that PBSA projects add strain to, and harm the character of, local communities, as well as taking up development space for housing for the wider public. Additionally, the rents in the developments are often higher than students can find on the private residential market, with rooms in shared flats within Edinburgh PBSA developments often starting at £800 or £900 per month. But PBSA developments are rarely pushed back by councillors. They are usually compliant with planning regulations, which means there is often no legitimate reason for them to be rejected. Glasgow City Council had its own moratorium on PBSA developments between 2019 and 2021, with new projects still effectively banned in parts of the city by planning regulations. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Conservative councillor Joanna Mowat filed an amendment that said a ban should not be implemented now. Instead, it said that any decision on restricting student housing should be made as a part of creating the city's new Local Development Plan, which must be implemented by May 2026. She told the council on Thursday: 'The main point of this is that we are going through a process to look at student housing, examining those numbers. And I think that whilst that is being undertaken, it's premature to ask for a moratorium.' 'The reality is we are supposed to have this information later this year, and I think asking planners to do another report into this, at this point, when they're undertaking that work for the new Local Development Plan is overburdening them. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'I think the points Cllr Aston makes are good ones, but I just want to try and get what we need to do done rather than having extraneous reports that I think will be difficult to accomplish.' Councillors voted for Cllr Aston's motion over Cllr Mowat's amendment by 46 to 10, with the Conservative group voting against the motion.
Edinburgh Reporter
6 days ago
- Politics
- Edinburgh Reporter
New student housing ban possible
Options for bringing in a ban on the development of new student accommodation units In Edinburgh are set to be brought before councillors later this year City officers have been asked to explore options for a ban on controversial purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) projects, and present them to the city's Planning Committee in September for a decision. A majority of councillors backed the motion calling for a ban to be explored, which was proposed by SNP councillor Danny Aston. But 10 opposed it, with one saying a ban would be 'premature'. At the meeting, Cllr Aston said: 'It seems to me that developers aren't taking the changing circumstances into account. 'My concern is that if the council doesn't step in as the state body responsible as the planning authority to rein in the market here, our city may be left disfigured by white elephant PBSA developments that no-one wants.' PBSA projects often draw significant protest from the communities they are built in. One recent development in Jock's Lodge, which went on to be approved, drew over 1,000 public objections. Opponents say that PBSA projects add strain to, and harm the character of, local communities, as well as taking up development space for housing for the wider public. Additionally, the rents in the developments are often higher than students can find on the private residential market, with rooms in shared flats within Edinburgh PBSA developments often starting at £800 or £900 per month. But PBSA developments are rarely pushed back by councillors. They are usually compliant with planning regulations, which means there is often no legitimate reason for them to be rejected. Glasgow City Council had its own moratorium on PBSA developments between 2019 and 2021, with new projects still effectively banned in parts of the city by planning regulations. Conservative councillor Joanna Mowat filed an amendment that said a ban should not be implemented now. Instead, it says that any decision on restricting student housing should be made as a part of creating the city's new Local Development Plan, which must be implemented by May 2026. She told the council on Thursday: 'The main point of this is that we are going through a process to look at student housing, examining those numbers. And I think that whilst that is being undertaken, it's premature to ask for a moratorium.' 'The reality is we are supposed to have this information later this year, and I think asking planners to do another report into this, at this point, when they're undertaking that work for the new Local Development Plan is overburdening them. 'I think the points Cllr Aston makes are good ones, but I just want to try and get what we need to do done rather than having extraneous reports that I think will be difficult to accomplish.' Councillors voted for Cllr Aston's motion over Cllr Mowat's amendment by 46 to 10, with the Conservative group voting against the motion. By Joseph Sullivan Local Democracy Reporter Like this: Like Related
Powys County Times
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Powys County Times
Powys councillor 'frustrated' after meeting over crashes
A Powys councillor who organised a meeting over speeding cars in Welshpool has said he has been left 'a little frustrated' over the lack of a solution. Following multiple incidents and crashes on Red Bank in Welshpool, Cllr Graham Breeze organised a meeting with Powys Council highways officers, the town council and Dyfed Powys Police to try and find a solution. While a number of options were reportedly raised on how to tackle the issue, Cllr Breeze said he thinks everyone left the meeting 'a little frustrated' that there was 'no immediate solution' to the problem. He said: 'I organised a meeting attended by Powys Council highways officers, Welshpool Town Council clerk and councillors, and Dyfed Powys Police, when safety concerns over the Red Bank road area stretching from the junctions with Church Bank and Guilsfield Road were aired and discussed. 'My reason for calling the meeting was down to a number of speeding incidents highlighted to me by residents and members of the public combined with the number of HGV drivers ignoring the advisory signs warning that the road is unsuitable for such vehicles. 'I felt there was a general agreement that there were problems and a number of options were thrown into the mix by those attending, such as closing off the link to the Welshpool-Guilsfield road, one-way systems, traffic calming, speed checks, electronic speed checking, improved warning signage, community speed watch days and more. 'The repercussions of the suggestions were highlighted and it was also made clear that there were issues over enforcing speed restrictions in the area that had been highlighted y the GoSafe Speed Camera Organisation.' Earlier this year a car speeding down the road collided with a house, while last year a HGV demolished the steps of another property after colliding with it, and a pedestrian was knocked down at the end of the road heading into town centre. Cllr Breeze added: 'I pointed out that large areas at the top of Red Bank were earmarked for housing development in the new Local Development Plan which would present additional problems both during the construction stage and following habitation of the new properties with the increased number of vehicles potentially seeking access via Red Bank.
Edinburgh Live
6 days ago
- Business
- Edinburgh Live
Options for Edinburgh ban on new student flats to go before council later this year
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Options for bringing in a ban on the development of new student accommodation units In Edinburgh are set to be brought before councillors later this year City officers have been asked to explore options for a ban on controversial purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) projects, and present them to the city's Planning Committee in September for a decision. A majority of councillors backed the motion calling for a ban to be explored, which was proposed by SNP councillor Danny Aston. But 10 opposed it, with one saying a ban would be 'premature'. At the meeting, Cllr Aston said: 'It seems to me that developers aren't taking the changing circumstances into account. 'My concern is that if the council doesn't step in as the state body responsible as the planning authority to rein in the market here, our city may be left disfigured by white elephant PBSA developments that no-one wants.' PBSA projects often draw significant protest from the communities they are built in. One recent development in Jock's Lodge, which went on to be approved, drew over 1,000 public objections. Opponents say that PBSA projects add strain to, and harm the character of, local communities, as well as taking up development space for housing for the wider public. Additionally, the rents in the developments are often higher than students can find on the private residential market, with rooms in shared flats within Edinburgh PBSA developments often starting at £800 or £900 per month. But PBSA developments are rarely pushed back by councillors. They are usually compliant with planning regulations, which means there is often no legitimate reason for them to be rejected. Glasgow City Council had its own moratorium on PBSA developments between 2019 and 2021, with new projects still effectively banned in parts of the city by planning regulations. Conservative councillor Joanna Mowat filed an amendment that said a ban should not be implemented now. Instead, it says that any decision on restricting student housing should be made as a part of creating the city's new Local Development Plan, which must be implemented by May 2026. She told the council on Thursday: 'The main point of this is that we are going through a process to look at student housing, examining those numbers. And I think that whilst that is being undertaken, it's premature to ask for a moratorium.' 'The reality is we are supposed to have this information later this year, and I think asking planners to do another report into this, at this point, when they're undertaking that work for the new Local Development Plan is overburdening them. 'I think the points Cllr Aston makes are good ones, but I just want to try and get what we need to do done rather than having extraneous reports that I think will be difficult to accomplish.' Councillors voted for Cllr Aston's motion over Cllr Mowat's amendment by 46 to 10, with the Conservative group voting against the motion. A report compiled by officers on a possible ban will be considered by councillors at the next meeting of the Planning Committee on Wednesday, 10 September, which you can view here.
