Conwy’s planning committee granted permission for a farmer to erect two shepherd huts on his land at Llannefydd, near Denbigh.

Applicant Bleddyn Jackson applied to Conwy County Council’s planning department, seeking permission to site two shepherd huts on land at Plas Uchaf, Bryn Eithin to Fron Fawr Road, Llannefydd, Conwy.

The farmer sought planning permission for two single bedroom shepherd huts at the south of the farmhouse to the east of the drive.

The plans included landscaping works, including circulation footpaths, a low retaining wall, fencing, planting, and a new car parking area to the north of the huts.

But at an earlier meeting in July, planning officers recommended councillors refused the plans as there was “no existing tourism development either operated by the applicant or in the immediate locality, and no new tourism scheme proposed as part of the application”.

Consequently, officers argued the development did not form an ancillary or complementary part of an existing or proposed new tourism development scheme – and was against policy.

Speaking at the committee meeting in July, applicant Mr Jackson said: “I’m a sixth generation of this farm. We moved there with my wife and two kids, 12 and 16, and they like farming. We’ve been doing this house up for this for three years. It’s a massive house. It’s grade-two (listed) manor house, with outbuildings and a garden, so there is a lot of work to do. It is a lifetime project, for sure.”

Mr Jackson then revealed he had taken over the farm in 2010 when his uncle became ill, explaining the farm kept both sheep and cows. He then said he was diversifying the farm for sustainability.

“What we want to do is put two shepherd huts there. The benefits of this will be the future of the farm, due to the uncertainty of farming, and keeping the tradition for future generations going.”

He said money raised from the shepherd huts would be invested into the farm and renovating the house.

Councillors then backed the plans in July against officers’ advice, and consequently the decision had to be reaffirmed in August’s planning committee.

Cllr Ifor Lloyd proposed that the committee backed the application, this was seconded by Cllr Gwennol Ellis, and councillors voted the plans through.