A planning row has erupted after a developer refused to demolish Airbnb cabins that have been deemed an eyesore.
The four self-contained cabins at Landimore, overlooking the Wales Coast Path and Loughor estuary, have proved a hit on Airbnb with tourists paying more than £175 per cabin per night.
However, a planning inspector said the cabins “seriously harmed” the view from the coast path and eroded a previously rural and tranquil site to an unacceptable extent – something the owner of the cabins has disputed.
John Phillips, 42, owner, appealed the initial notice to demolish the cabins, with his planning agent arguing there was significant demand for high-quality tourist accommodation, and the occupancy rates for the cabins were above average.
The council considers its next move more than three months after a Welsh government-appointed planning inspector ruled that the cabins had to be knocked down and the land restored.
The demolition deadline of October 31 2025 followed a requirement for Mr Phillips to stop using the cabins by November 30 2024.
The council said: “Mr Phillips built the chalets without planning permission. Retrospective planning permission was refused by the council.
“Our position was endorsed by the Welsh planning inspector when Mr Phillips appealed.
“The council is fully aware of the lack of compliance by the resident with the enforcement notice.
The controversial Airbnb is at the centre of a planning row
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JOHN PHILLIPS
“We are in the process of considering our next steps and this could include legal action through the courts”.
The council said the action reflected the importance of protecting the area of natural beauty from unlawful development.
The agent did not agree that the work undertaken would have a harmful impact on the designated Landimore conservation area and said the cabins were partially screened from the nearby coast path.
Planning inspector Richard Duggan upheld the council’s enforcement notice, saying their positive impact on tourism on Gower did not outweigh the “significant harm” and added that the location was unsustainable from a highway safety point of view.
He also said the cabins were built without ecological surveys being carried out and that excavation work had affected the roots of some nearby trees.
Mr Phillips said at the time he felt the inspector’s decision was “totally unfair”, and that he planned to take court action.
Gower councillor Richard Lewis said: “My view is that the planners did an excellent job. Everything was watertight,” claiming he had been aware of the unauthorised cabin development at an early stage.
“I had so many people knocking on my door saying they were not happy – why should someone carry on carte blanche?
“Everybody else has to obey the rules. I think there will be very little sympathy from villagers across Gower”.
The planning inspector said the cabins were built without ecological surveys being carried out and that excavation work had affected the roots of some nearby trees
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JOHN PHILLIPS
The booking website which markets the cabins – still available to rent – encourages prospective visitors to watch the sunset and sunrise and lose themselves under the night stars.
One Airbnb review said: “The place was exactly as described, hot tub was amazing in a perfect location. Will definitely be back”.
The popularity of the Airbnb venue – consisting of four pods built in 2022 – was a leading factor in Mr Phillips’s appeal against the demolition.
John Phillips said at the time he felt the inspector’s decision was ‘totally unfair’ and that he planned to take court action
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JOHN PHILLIPS
Mr Phillips and his partner, Kerrie Garrett, saw the chalets as a chance to “cash in” on the beauty of the surrounding area and provide for their daughter, Darcy-Mae.
Furious locals previously claimed the chalets are a “blot on the landscape” of Britain’s first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and should not have been built.
Mr Phillips, who lives on the site, previously said he doesn’t know what they will do if they have to bulldoze the holiday homes.
He said: “We won’t be able to afford to pay our bills if this happens. It pays our living. It’s our full-time job. We haven’t looked at the price for demolishing it. We are going to fight this every step of the way”.