A seafront property in Tenby, Gwynne House, is seeking permission to continue operating as a holiday let. This house is notable for inspiring George Eliot, the author of Middlemarch, during her visit in 1857. The current owner, Pavel Stepanek, acquired the Grade-II listed building in 2021 and has since resumed its use as a short-term rental after refurbishments.
The application for a certificate of lawfulness is crucial as it aims to validate the property’s established use as a holiday let, which had been ongoing prior to Stepanek’s ownership. The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority previously approved a mixed-use application for the house in 2014, allowing guest accommodation alongside residential use.
However, the introduction of Use Class C6 in Wales in late 2022 complicates matters, as it affects short-term holiday accommodation regulations. Stepanek was unaware of these changes when he purchased the property, believing it to be compliant with its historical use as a guesthouse.
The decision on this application will have implications not only for the property’s future but also for similar holiday lets in the area, highlighting the ongoing tension between heritage preservation and modern tourism demands in conservation zones.
Source: BBC News
