After hearing about privacy concerns of a neighbour National Park members will visit a Poppit application site before deciding if a replacement house can be built there.

An application to replace an old house called Morwennau overlooking Poppit Sands had been recommended for approval by Pembrokeshire Coast National Park planning officers.

However, at a meeting of the development management committee on Wednesday (April 21) neighbour Brian Francis urged members to visit the site to see how much the rear of his home would be overlooked by a proposed new dormer window.

“It will seriously affect our privacy, it will be like living in a goldfish bowl,” said Mr Francis, adding he would draw his bedroom curtains every morning and be “facing someone looking down on top of me.”

Local member Cllr Mike James added that it was not the proximity of the house that caused the problem, as they would be sufficiently spaced out, but the “gradient” of the site.

He added that he, Mr Francis, nor the community council objected to the development, “it needs it, it’s just the window and the privacy that we need to look at.”

Gavin Oliver of Billystudio Architects said that the dormer window on the south east elevation would allow much needed sunlight into the upper floor and it would be 0.7m higher than the existing window.

The new four bedroom house would replace a single storey prefab asbestos house and would have an upstairs kitchen and dining/living area, with the existing levels lowered to allow for an additional floor.

An initial vote on a site visit proposed by Cllr James fell, but after hearing from Mr Francis it was held again and members agreed to go to Poppit.