PLANS to replace spaces at a caravan site at a remote pub with shepherd’s huts have been put forward.

The Whistle Inn, which even has its own railway station, said demand for “UK staycations and unique accommodations like glamping and shepherd huts” has prompted it to reduce the number of touring caravans it can accommodate.

It intends adding 10 shepherd huts to its caravan site at Whistle Road, Garn Yr Erw which is 1.5 miles from Blaenavon town centre.

The 2.7 acres site includes gardens, car parking for up to 50 vehicles and a camp site with 44 pitches, 34 of which are hard standing, though 11 would be lost to make way for the shepherd huts.

The pub, which is around 200 years old, had been closed for five months before Paul and Nat Garratt took over at the end of March 2022.

Since then they have invested £200,000 in the refurbishment of the restaurant, kitchen and cellar and forced a turnaround in the pub’s fortunes with trading revenue for the last financial year representing a “substantial increase” according to a supporting statement submitted with the application.

The application also seeks permission to retain a single timber glamping pod, which was already on site before the couple took over, and to retain play equipment which replaced the original playground, that was around 40 years old, a a cost of £20,000.

The application also seeks permission to widen the internal access road by around one metre and widen, by one metre, hard standing pitches.

Plans to convert a flat above the pub or six en-suite bed and breakfast rooms were approved by Torfaen Borough Council’s planning department in early 2025.

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The application states: “The Applicant believes there is demand for such facilities, as Blaenavon receives approximately 235,000 visitors annually due to attractions including the Iron Works, Big Pit and Heritage Railway.”