A Pembrokeshire farm barn attraction, which gained a 3,500-strong petition of support after a previous refusal, has been approved after an agreement was reached on improving access.

Late in 2023, Stuart Williams of Home Farm, Leweston, near Camrose, was refused retrospective permission by planning officers to retain the Willhome Farm Barn farm park – and ancillary buildings – built in June 2022.

The site – whose facilities were used by the council’s own educational providers and parents of children with learning difficulties – is home to rabbits, llamas, donkeys, poultry, owls, goats, ponies and pigs, along with a café building, public conveniences, a children’s play area, and visitor parking.

The attraction was set up as a form of diversification after the farm lost its entire cattle herd through bovine tuberculosis; developing over time to having more than 150 children and students visiting a week.

One of the issues for a previous refusal by officers was due to highway safety concerns.

Since that refusal, a change.org petition, Grant Planning Permission for Willhome Farm Barn in Pembrokeshire, was set up by Hook-based Jessica Austin, attracting more than 3,500 signatures.

Jessica’s petition said: “This decision not only affects this resilient family but also impacts schools attended with over 6,000 pupils, by adults from local wellbeing centres and families with children who have autism or learning difficulties like mine.”

In 2024, the applicant submitted a fresh call, which was again due to be decided by planning officers until, at the request of local county councillor, and former council leader, Cllr Jamie Adams, a special meeting was held in July backing a decision for it to be made by councillors.

At December’s planning committee, members agreed to a site visit, the applicants given a “last-chance saloon” to address issues including highway access through potential passing bays.

The application returned to the February 18 planning committee, with a recommendation of approval after amended plans “identifying a number of passing places within the local highway network to accommodate highway improvement works” were received.

At the meeting, members heard the attraction provided “well-needed facilities in Pembrokeshire that makes a real difference to the lives of over 6,000 students a year.”

Cllr Jamie Adams, who has championed the cause of the attraction, spoke again at the meeting, saying: “I implore members to support this important application once again; what this has to offer in terms of children and young adults is a valuable alternative in terms of the standard curriculum.

“It’s been a long time pulling the strands together, now we have a scheme that’s fully supported by all parties.”

Approval was moved by Cllr Alistair Cameron, who said: “The only issue we had was transport issues, it seems to me we’ve resolved that satisfactorily; it’s a great facility.”

He was joined by Cllr Mark Carter, of a nearby ward, who said: “there’s universal like for this in my area, I’m verry happy to approve this.”

The application was unanimously approved by committee members.