March 28, 2025 - 839 views
Leader of the Welsh Conservatives and Clwyd West MS Darren Millar has raised the unnecessary delay and lack of enforcement action by planning officers in the Senedd Chamber, highlighting a planning breach in Rhos-on-Sea.
Speaking during the Business Statement in the Welsh Parliament on Tuesday, he expressed concern that local authorities are often not taking action against planning breaches and called for a Statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning on the matter.
Darren Millar said: “I call for a Statement in relation to the unnecessary delay and lack of enforcement action by planning officers across Wales, even when planning applications have been rejected.
“There's a situation in my own constituency, in Rhos on Sea, where residents on Tan-y-bryn Road are going to be overlooked by an absolute monstrosity of what is supposed to be a garden room in the back of an Airbnb property. Frankly, it looks like a Stalag Luft watchtower, and overlooks the back gardens of everybody beneath that particular property. It is causing alarm to local residents, particularly those with children who are playing in their gardens.
“So, can we have an update as to what the Welsh Government is doing to make sure that local authorities take enforcement action?”
Darren also called for a Statement from the Cabinet Secretary on “the action being taken by the Welsh Government to make sure that Airbnb properties are properly regulated to prevent this sort of abuse in a residential area in the future”.
In her response, the Welsh Government’s Trefnydd (Business Manager) said enforcement is “the responsibility of local authorities, and the local democratically elected councillors”.
She added: “Of course, you have drawn attention to the fact that this is an Airbnb, and I know that views about this and their role, obviously, have been expressed across this Chamber, and we're aware of that in terms of moving forward on regulation.”
Speaking after the meeting, Mr. MIllar added: “Local authorities should be responding robustly to planning breaches, but throughout North Wales we are hearing of more and more cases where this just isn’t being done, and, as is the case in Rhos on Sea, neigbouring residents are suffering as a result.”
Llandrillo yn Rhos Cllr Gareth Jones said: “It is important for the residents of Conwy that when there has been a planning breach, it is enforced. There needs to be swift resolutions in these cases, but sadly we are not seeing that currently."
