A campsite near Brecon has lodged an application with Bannau Brycheiniog planners that would allow them to be open all year round.

The application has been submitted by Paul Barnes of the Caravan and Motorhome club for the Brecon Beacons Caravan and Motorhome Club Site at Brynich Farm.

The campsite is just off the Brynich roundabout at the junction of the A40 and the A470, which is around 1.3 miles from the centre of Brecon.

The proposal includes bringing the official number of pitches down from 200 to 150.

Currently, the site is closed from the beginning of November through until the end of February and is allowed to reopen on March 1.

Planning agent Phillippa Davey of Savills UK limited said: “The caravan site has been granted numerous planning permissions over the last 20 years, which has resulted in a complex planning history.

“This planning application now seeks to consolidate the planning history under one planning permission.

“Due to demand for holiday pitches during the winter months, the applicant seeks permission to be able to operate the Brecon Beacons site all year round.”

She adds that it is “important to point out” that short stay holiday use of the site is controlled under a planning permission condition that forbids touring caravans and motor homes from staying there for more than 28 nights a year.

This condition is expected to be “carried over” onto any new planning permission for the site.

Miss Davey said: “It will be appreciated that it is important for the applicant’s business to be competitive and consistent with other nearby holiday parks in the national park, Powys and beyond, that already offer a year-round holiday season as standard.

“The extended holiday season will help the site remain competitive and appealing to consumers.”

She adds that the Caravan and Motorhome club manages 150 sites throughout the UK and 50 of them are open all year round, although only two are in Wales.

Miss Davey continued: “The closed season currently runs for 120 days of the year.

“Average occupancy for touring sites during the winter months is likely to be around the 10 per cent level, albeit weather is a significant affecting factor.”

Calculating visitor spend is worth £1,142 per pitch. Miss Davey says that this equates to over £171,000 of potential visitor spending that would be created for the local economy by approving the application.

Miss Davey said: “Research by Visit Britain states that every £54,000 spent by tourists in a local economy sustains one full time equivalent (FTE) job

“Accordingly, visitor expenditure from the park equates to an additional 3.17 FTE jobs in the local area during the winter period.”

Miss Davey stressed: “There are clearly important economic benefits from the proposed development in this respect.”

The consultation period on the application ended on July 21 and a decision on the application is expected soon.