Landowner to face legal action after building caravan park in Welsh national park

A Welsh national park has backed legal action being taken against a landowner who built a caravan park and is accused of repeatedly failing to comply with an enforcement notice.

The development management committee for Pembrokeshire Coast National Park was asked to back delegated authority for prosecution proceedings to be brought before the magistrates' court. This was in respect of land south of Parc Yr Eglwys, Brynhenllan, Dinas Cross, which has been made subject to an enforcement notice.

A report stated a complaint had been received by the park in May 2023 regarding a green field being stripped of its vegetation by the new landowners and turned into a mobile home park. 

A planning contravention notice was served, following a site inspection, for the removal of hedge banks and hedgerows, the existing access to be widened, ground level alterations, track construction and storage container siting.

A planning application was retrospectively received by the park in 2024, for the retention of the hardstanding area siting of storage container and additional landscape works, but that was refused in May of that year.

The report said: "“As no voluntary steps were taken to remedy the breach of planning control and no appeal made against the refusal of planning permission, the authority considered it expedient to issue and serve an enforcement notice as the development and use of the land resulted in an unnecessary incursion into the rural countryside which causes a significant visual intrusion to the detriment of the special qualities of the National Park."

In January last year, an enforcement notice was served and the landowner lodged an appeal the following month with the Planning & Environment Decisions Wales. That was dismissed in June, and the enforcement notice took effect.

In June 2025, a further application was received, for a small scale seasonal campsite on the land, which was refused in October that year.

The landowner was told by officers that the enforcement notice remained in place until January 3, 2026.

Three days after that date, a site inspection was carried out and confirmed the breach of planning control. A further planning application to regularise the development was received on January 21, which was refused on March 9.

The report concluded: “The landowner has had multiple opportunities to regularise the development through both retrospective applications and an appeal against the enforcement notice. Those processes have not resulted in permission being granted nor compliance being achieved.

“The continued failure to comply with the enforcement notice undermines the integrity of the planning system and public confidence in its proper operation. “It also results in an unnecessary incursion into the rural countryside which causes a significant visual intrusion to the detriment of the special qualities of the National Park. “Officers therefore consider it expedient and in the public interest to pursue prosecution proceedings should the breach remain unresolved.”

The recommendation was backed by the park.