AN elderly couple have lost their fight to replace their mobile home with a more energy-efficient dwelling.
In May Denbighshire Council turned down an application by Michael Roe on behalf of his parents whose home alongside the mountain road from Llanferres to Moel Famau consists of two linked caravans on a blockwork plinth.
Planning inspector Gareth Rennie has turned down Mr Roe’s appeal, stating that although it is Mr and Mrs Roe’s permanent home it is a temporary structure and replacing it with a permanent property would represent a long-term change of use of the site.
He said the proposed dwelling would also be much larger than the present caravan and would have “an urbanising effect” which would harm the rural area within the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Mr Roe argued that the new building would be much more energy-efficient.
Mr Rennie said: “There are no shops, services or schools nearby and there is no evidence that there are bus services that serve the appeal site.
“Despite the apparent sustainability of the proposal in energy terms I therefore consider that the appeal site is not a sustainable location for such development and does not accord with national planning advice.”