A WEDDING venue in rural Monmouthshire wants to expand its car park and create a coach drop-off point – but there are concerns at how it could impact road safety.

Cefn Tilla Court, in Llandenny, near Usk, was granted change of use planning permission in 2020 to host weddings as well as continue as a residence while it also holds clay pigeon shoots.

An application to Monmouthshire County Council is now asking for permission for additional overflow parking and a coach drop-off area to the north of the house, on the opposite side of a lane, to the clay shoot.

The application states the venue, that hosts 50 weddings a year, is fully booked this year and 2023 and is half booked for 2024, with 80 people on average attending the ceremonies and 120 in the evenings.

It holds no more than 28 clay shoots a year, with on average 70 to 100 people attending the events that are usually held around twice a month.

The existing car park has 35 spaces and the application would create an additional 20 spaces while the planned drop-off point is intended to encourage couples to bus their wedding guests to the venue.

The application states: “Guests will be encouraged to use coach transportation to the venue, reducing the number of vehicles travelling to and from the venue. Coaches will be able to turn and park at the overflow parking, small shuttle buses will then transport guests to the venue.”

There is an agricultural barn, that was recently granted planning permission, at the proposed coach drop off area and the applicants say access to the area was recently improved.

Some Llandenny residents however have objected to the application, raising concerns over the impact of traffic on the narrow road.

Comments submitted in response to the application claim the road to the venue is unsuitable for coaches and argue additional parking should be accommodated within the grounds of the house, though the applicants have stated such use wouldn’t be sympathetic to the Grade II-listed building.