A call to build a Ceredigion home made by one of the top breeders of Limousin cattle in the UK has been backed by planners despite an officer recommendation to refuse, partly due to its size.

The application, by Mr and Mrs Dylan Davies for a four-bedroom rural enterprise workers’ dwelling at Blaenffynnon, Llanwnnen, Lampeter, where they run a calving and cattle rearing business, was  previously recommended for refusal - but later deferred - at the September meeting of Ceredigion County council’s development management committee.

Refusal was recommended by planning officers on the grounds the site was in open countryside, where there is a presumption against new residential development unless it constitutes a specific exception, the proposal failed a financial test prescribed within TAN6 policy, and owing to its large size the proposed dwelling would not serve a useful purpose as an affordable dwelling should the need to house an agricultural worker cease.

One of the issues in the report for members was the financial test of whether the scheme was affordable, based on an estimate the building would cost some £292,000 to construct; at a 25-year mortgage amounting to £20,400 a year.

The size of the proposed building – which the applicants say include a need to entertain and occasionally accommodate clients - was also given as a reason for failing the TAN6 policy test, being larger than affordable housing guidance, at 202 square metres rather than a maximum of 136.

At the September meeting, members heard the applicant bred high-value show cattle for embryo transplanting at the well-established business, with one bull selling for £32,000 last year.

The application was deferred for a ‘cooling-off’ period to seek further details along with potential changes to the size of the scheme, returning to the October 9 meeting, where it was again recommended for refusal.

At that meeting, Cllr Gareth Lloyd said the ‘cooling off’ committee had been happy with the proposed size of the build, the report for members stating that committee said: “The dwelling proposed does not seem overly large in relation to the enterprise and the enterprise accounts demonstrate in the main it can be supported, alongside recognition of the need to entertain purchasers of the stock and a farm office/washroom.”

However, officers said the size proposed could actually include a two-person bungalow in addition to the normal maximal ‘affordable’ size.

Members went against an officer recommendation to refuse, with the addition that any development rights would be removed from the application, the scheme passing unanimously.