Powys Council Chairman runs holiday let without permission

Geoff Morgan, the chairman of Powys County Council and a Reform UK councillor representing Ithon Valley, has been operating a holiday let business in a Grade II listed building without the necessary planning permission for several years.

The property, known as the Old Cobblers Shop in Llanbister, is currently advertised on holiday websites including Airbnb and was reported to be fully booked for October. Investigations of the council’s planning portal revealed no record of approved applications to use the listed building for tourist accommodation.

In August, Cllr Morgan submitted planning applications for part-retrospective alterations, restorative work, and a change of use to an ancillary office. Accompanying documents admit that extensive work to convert the cottage into a holiday let occurred during 2019–20 without obtaining the required listed building consent or planning permission. The documents also note that the surrounding land was landscaped and ancillary structures were added during that period.