A north Pembrokeshire farmer looking to diversify will not be able to site a three bedroom holiday chalet in one of his fields, following a planning appeal.

A Welsh Government planning inspector has upheld a decision by Pembrokeshire County Council to refuse permission for the change of use of agricultural land for the siting of a twin unit caravan for holiday let use.

In dismissing the appeal for the three-bedroom holiday chalet, planning inspector Melissa Hall, said the development would represent unjustified encroachment into the countryside and have an adverse impact on the rural character of the locality.

She also raised the issue of foul water drainage, saying that the application was for the accommodation to have its own sceptic tank but that there was no evidence provided as to why the chalet could not be connected to the public sewerage system.

“I accept that the consultation responses were favourable to the proposal and that the local councillor did not raise any objection,” she said.

“Although there may be no objection to specific elements of the proposal and support has been expressed by interested parties, this does not outweigh the harm that I have identified in respect of the principle of the development and its adverse effect on the character of the area.”

The planning application was made by Steve Piecko and related to land at Ffynnon-Gaseg, Glogue, near Llanfyrnach.

It was refused by local authority planners in January this year.