Plans to build glamping pods next to South Wales’ oldest pub LLangynwyd

THE OWNER of one of south Wales’ oldest pubs wants to build glamping pods on nearby land to boost tourism in the local area.

Landlord Steffan Jones wants to build 23 pods on a field next door to The Old House Inn, Llangynwyd, which dates back to 1147.

The 12th-century pub is situated in Llangynwyd – a small village in Maesteg, Bridgend – next to a historic church and agricultural land.

It is a Grade II listed building that is said to have hosted the likes of Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor and David Bowie.

A planning document states all of the pods would be one-storey high with decking and comprise a mixture of:

11 one-bedroom pods with a toilet (18 square metres)

Seven one-bedroom pods with a toilet and extra cooking and living space (35 square metres)

Five two-bedroom pods with a toilet and extra cooking and living space (46 square metres)

The materials used to build the pods are currently undecided but “traditional materials” such as timber and stone are being considered, according to a planning report by Asbri Planning Ltd on behalf of Mr Jones.

Mr Jones bought The Old House Inn with his parents Sian and Jeff Jones for £330,000 plus VAT in 2017.

The thatched pub is considered to be Wales’ second-oldest pub – the oldest being The Skirrid Mountain Inn, near Abergavenny, which dates back to 1100.

The proposed development site is vacant green land, which currently can only be accessed via the pub with no public access.

The site is 0.9 hectares and lies immediately south of The Old House Inn.

Mr Jones hopes to use the pubs current car park for the guests staying in the pods and extend the existing access track.

It is hoped the glamping pods would boost the local economy by attracting more tourists to the area and also create seven new jobs.

More than 30 members of staff at The Olde House were made redundant during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic but were re-employed since the pub reopened.

The report by Asbri Planning states the glamping pods would benefit other local businesses in Llangynwyd by attracting people to the area.

The pub “plays a significant role in the local economy through the employment of such a high number of staff,” the report reads.

It also states the proposal would increase traffic in the area but it would “not be of a significant level detrimental to the surrounding highway network”.

“The level of parking proposed is considered to be appropriate to the number of potential visitors that the facility can hold with each cabin featuring a double bed.”

An ecological assessment states the current trees and hedgerows surrounding the site could be retained while precautionary measures should be taken to protect any wildlife within the site boundaries.

Bridgend County Borough Council’s planning officers will review the application to build the pods before a decision is made.