PLANS by “one of the busiest horsebox fabricators in Wales and the UK” for a new building near Llanybydder, have been approved by councillors after months of being deferred despite council officers warning that the development goes against policy and permission cannot be given until Welsh Government ministers decide to allow it.

Back in 2021, Peter Jones, of Morgan Jones Horse Boxes, applied for permission to build the horsebox fabrication building, and associated works, on land some one-and-a-half miles from the village.

Agent Morgan & Flynn Architectural Services in a supporting statement to the application, said the business was “one of the busiest horsebox fabricators in Wales and the UK”.

“The application represents and expansion of the existing family business which has been well established in the area for a number of years.

“The increased demand for the product and the need to meet customer requirements means that a new purpose-built facility is required but it is essential that this facility remains close to the existing setup so as to maintain their local identity.

“The intention is to develop a purpose-built unit away from the existing yard at Moelfre which will allow the applicant to provide a more professional service and modern facility to meet increased demand.”

The application was previously heard by members of Ceredigion County Council’s planning committee back in March but was deferred to September, then October, with site visits and panels of councillors gathering more information on the scheme.

Committee members finally gave the scheme the green light at a meeting earlier in November despite council planners recommending the scheme for refusal.

The application was recommended for refusal by officers on the grounds the proposed site was outside a settlement boundary, and it would represent an intrusion into the open countryside.

Councillors will now have to wait to see if Welsh Ministers will allow their approval to stand.

Ceredigion County Council officers said that “a direction had been received from the Minister for Climate Change “which prevents the council from granting planning permission without the prior authorisation of the Welsh Ministers.”

“Consequently, the council must now await the Welsh Ministers’ decision on whether the application was being called in before any planning permission could be issued by the council,” officers said.