LOCAL people who are opposing plans to convert part of the former Charthouse restaurant into a motorcycle sales room have failed in a bid for the building's classification to be changed.

The owners of the Charthouse restaurant at Llanvihangel Gobion were recently granted permission to operate a café from the premises - a move which required no change of classification from the previous restaurant use with living accommodation above.

However owner Gwyneth Jones was also seeking additional planning permission for a motorcycle sales showroom to be located in a separate part of the building from the Steel Horse Café - an application which faced MCC's planning committee earlier this week.

Hugh Candler, a local solicitor and clerk to Llanover Community Council, told members of the planning committee meeting on Tuesday he felt that as the building would effectively have three different uses it should be considered under the sui generis ruling as it did not fall within any normal planning classification.

Mr Candler said, "In my opinion, having taken legal advice, the classification of this building should be sui generis which makes this current application invalid.

"Therefore the applicant should start again and should reapply for planning permission for the whole building under this classification.

Continuing his argument Mr Candler suggested that noise from the showroom would also cause a problem for residents

"I would suggest that any prospective motorcycle purchaser would want to test and hear the bike's roar outside the showroom, adding to the noise pollution."

Rob Tranter Monmouthshire's head of legal services dismissed the claims and said that the authority had also taken legal advice and had been told that it was dealing with the application in the correct way.

Speaking to the committee the applicant, Mrs Jones said that rural public houses across the country, were struggling.

"The way forward is diversification and in this case as a parent I want to support my son in his enterprising business and allow him to trade from the property.

"Our application has attracted a lot of objections which have been based on a lot of estimation and not real facts.

"The proposed change of use will allow my son to sell affordable motorcycles, in a safe environment."

However neighbour Huw Jones told the committee, "When the Steel Horse opened on Saturday the noise level significantly increased and the impact on the area has already been significant."

Councillor Maureen Powell pointed out that she could not see any planning reasons why this application should be rejected as the comments the objectors were making were in relation to the café and not the proposed motorcycle showroom.

She added, "If we approve the salesroom application I would like to suggest however, that a boundary wall should be built."

Councillor David Dovey added,"The diversification is an excellent idea and will help secure the long term future of the café and vice versa.

"Motorbikers can often be the result of a late life crisis with people in later years enjoying the freedom of the open road.

"This former pub / restaurant has been empty for some time and could have easily been boarded up like so many others in the area and become an eyesore.

"The building of a boundary wall should be an added condition to help with the privacy of neighbours."

Councillor Ann Webb pointed out that the café could have easily evolved into a bikers' pub without the need for any additional planning permission.

Councillors voted to approve the application for the showroom by a majority of ten to four, with the condition that a boundary wall be built around the premises.