A RETIRED couple from Dinas Cross have been spared a “grossly unfair” tax on their home of 20 years.

Mr and Mrs Ferguson, aged 86 and 68 respectively, ran a successful nursing home from their property in Glan-Helyg.

Due to the expansion of their business, the couple was successful in securing planning permission to build an annex next door for them to live in.

That 1995 permission came with a condition that the annex, known as Bro-Helyg, shall only be occupied as the private residence of the owner or manager of the adjoining care home.

Now that Mr and Mrs Ferguson no longer run the care home, they asked the National Park to remove that condition and allow them to use Bro-Helyg as an independent residence with its own separate amenity and parking areas.

While the proposal was deemed acceptable by planning officers, they recommended refusal as Mr and Mrs Ferguson did not agree to pay an affordable housing contribution of £27,500. The sum is considered a key policy in the Local Development Plan which aims to tackle the lack of affordable housing in rural communities.

Speaking on behalf of his constituents, Councillor Bob Kilmister said: “I cannot remember feeling so strongly about any other case I have ever been involved with.

“It is beyond my conception that this authority seeks to charge Mr and Mrs Ferguson £27,500 for continuing to live in the property they have inhabited for the last 20 years.

“As members we have made it clear what we think about the policy that was introduced with the right motives, but can only be described as an absolute disaster.”

Cllr Kilmister continued: “We learned last week that the authority has collected the vast sum of £74,000 in affordable housing contributions since its inception. In this one application we are wanting £27,500 for a building built 20 years ago. Is that fair?

“It is in my view your duty to stand up and resist this ridiculous retrospective attempt to unfairly tax a family.”

The agent, Andrew Vaughan Harries said: “Glan-Helyg was operated by my clients as a very successful nursing home for the mentally handicapped.

“Initially they lived there, but obviously with the growth of the business they needed to expand into the two bedroom unit of Bro-Helyg.

“It is called an annex, but it is their home and has been for the last 20 years. There is no interconnecting door, it has its own independent facilities and is separately rated.

“It does seem grossly unfair.”

Cllr Tony Wilcox said he was minded to go against the recommendation and approve the application with no affordable contribution. Nine members voted in favour of his amendment, and three against.

The reasons they gave included exceptional personal circumstances and the historical use of the building.

The application will now be subject to a cooling off period and come back before committee at a later date.