Geoff Burrows, owner of an Airbnb property in Abergavenny, has been refused planning permission for repaving a patio and erecting a timber shelter over the River Gavenny. The original patio, built over a decade ago, was destroyed during Storm Claudia in November 2025.
Background of the Application
Mr Burrows had originally constructed the patio more than 10 years ago, and due to the lapse of enforcement time limits, he could have obtained a lawful development certificate. However, after the storm damage, he submitted separate planning applications for repaving and adding a timber shelter. Planners advised that these works required planning permission and also a change of use because the residential curtilage had been extended over the riverbank.
Planning Committee Decision
The application went before Monmouthshire County Council's planning committee in July 2026. Officers recommended refusal based on objections from the council's flood risk officer, insufficient landscaping plans, and lack of biodiversity mitigation. The river Gavenny is a Site of Interest for Nature Conservation (SINC) and feeds into the River Usk, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
Planning officer Phil Thomas stated: "The land may be owned by the applicant but that doesn't mean to say it can be used as curtilage, it is riverbank." He noted that the recent works extended the patio and curtilage by approximately two to three metres over the riverbank.
Support and Opposition
Abergavenny Park ward Labour councillor Tudor Thomas supported the application, saying Mr Burrows acted "in good faith" and had been "very open and honest with the planning department." He highlighted that the property operates as an Airbnb and that Mr Burrows planned to restore the riverbank to create wildlife habitat.
Mr Burrows argued that Natural Resources Wales had not commented on his proposal and that he intended to repair the riverbank, which he claimed was "swept away" by Storm Claudia—an event "unprecedented in the 23 years we've owned the property." He warned that without remedial work, loose soil posed increased risk to the river.
Flood risk officer James Woodier cautioned: "These structures always seem to get undermined." Devauden Conservative member Rachel Buckler supported refusal, stating: "The illustration of the storm damage and new, inappropriate development of the patio could not be a clearer illustration of what not to do on a riverbank." She dismissed the relevance of the property being an Airbnb.
Outcome
Planning permission was refused, with 12 councillors voting against and three in favour. The committee reminded Mr Burrows that any additional work to the bank would require separate planning permission.
