AN enforcement notice, requiring the demolition of a six-bedroom house, made out of two static caravans, has been upheld on appeal.

The house is occupied by Nigel Hooper, his partner and their children on land at Mountain Farm, Cresselly.

Mr Hooper has joint custody of four children aged 16, 14, 12 and three, who stay with him for three days one week and four days the following week.

His partner has custody of her three children aged seven, eight and 14.

The couple also have a six-month-old son.

Mr Hooper appealed against the notice issued by Pembrokeshire County Council on November 24 of last year.

The notice alleges breach of planning control, namely the unauthorised construction of a dwelling house and requires its demolition and the restoration of the land to its original condition Planning Inspector Richard Duggan dismissed Mr Hooper’s appeal, saying that the home has a “harmful visual impact on the character and appearance of the locality”.

In his ruling the Inspector went on: “I recognise the dismissal of the appeal would interfere with the appellant’s home and family life. However, this must be weighed against the wider public interest.”

Mr Duggan said he was satisfied that the 12 months stipulated in the enforcement notice to demolish the building was not unreasonable.

The property is constructed from two static caravans, clad with timber and linked by a timber structure with a pitched roof.

Besides the six bedrooms, it has three bathrooms, lounge area, dining area, a kitchen containing a fridge and the equipment needed for food preparation and cooking, as well as a utility room containing a washing machine and a dryer.

But at the hearing the appellant contended that the building provided ancillary residential accommodation for the existing farmhouse and was not a separate planning unit comprising a separate dwelling.

Mr Duggan said he noted that the council had confirmed that it had a duty to assist Mr Hooper and his family with finding a suitable home to move into.