We rent luxury cabins on Airbnb but ‘sour grapes’ neighbours are trying to rip them down – one even helped us build them
A COUPLE who rent out luxury cabins on Airbnb have been ordered to tear down two of their properties following a bitter feud with neighbours.
Former cop Rhys Gronow, 47, and emergency call operator wife Roisin, 53, pooled their savings to buy a quiet cottage in the Welsh countryside after Rhys was diagnosed with a brain tumour.
The couple forked out an extra £20,000 to nab two eco-friendly glamping homes and a bathroom area in Rhydlewis to let out to visitors.
But a cluster of seething neighbours have slammed the couple after allegedly hearing “late-night parties, traffic and noise.”
A furious Roisin hit back.
“We came up here for a quiet life and it has been anything but. I will not let these people dictate to me,” she said.
One complaint claimed that “multiple families” would party “late into the evening,” but Roisin alleged that “sour grapes” were at the heart of the grievances.
She added that it was unlikely that two holiday cabins could be responsible for an upsurge in traffic.
One of the complaints said “multiple families” would party “late into the evening” at the cabins – and planning officials refused permission for the lodges to stay.
She continued: “The planning officer who refused it didn’t even come out to see the property. If they had they would see there is space for around 10 cars.
“My husband and I have one car between us and most of the guests who visit us are regular visitors with just one car.
“That’s three cars in total.
“That’s the disappointing thing, we mostly get young families who just want to get outside with their children and experience somewhere new.
Roisin also hit out at one of those who complained, alleging that they had five cars outside their home.
“That is much more of a traffic disruption,” she claimed.
“Our guests actually contribute to the local shops and businesses and I think that has been forgotten about.”
Roisin said the couple – who formerly worked 100 miles away for South Wales Police based in Cardiff – erected the wooden cabins in the cottage grounds in just three days in 2019.
Roisin said it took her “around two weeks” to her to varnish the glamping pods and then applied for planning permission.
She said: “It was on again off again due to Covid and eventually they told us we needed to reapply.”
And she has vowed to fight back with an appeal after their planning application was rejected by Ceredigion County Council.
We came up here for a quiet life and it has been anything but. I will not let these people dictate to me.
Roisin Gronow
Their Instagram page has several positive reviews from guests and the only review on TripAdvisor also gives it five stars.
One guest wrote: “Our cabin was so cute and the stream running down in front was so therapeutic.”
Five neighbours objected to the application as did Troedyraur Community Council with concerns over increased traffic in the village of Rhydlewis.
One objector said: “All guests have use of an ‘entertainment’ area situated at the bottom of the applicant’s garden which backs on to a number of residents’ properties.
“There can be multiple families using this social area which includes loud music, singing, and shouting over the music.
“A loud party is enjoyed by all often late into the evenings including weeknights. The location of this site negatively impacts the lives of a number of residents which is not fair.”
The officer’s report for Ceredigion Council recommended refusal, saying: “In light of receipt of several neighbour objections to this development the potential harm to immediate neighbours has been thoroughly assessed.
“Given the rural location of the development site it is considered that the siting of the cabins are close to neighbouring properties on both north and south boundaries.
“The relatively restricted area of land provide for the siting of all three cabins would result in an unacceptable intensified use which would likely result in excessive noise and disturbance to nearby occupiers thus causing demonstrable harm to the living conditions that could be reasonably expected within such a rural village.
“Given that the development has previously been run unlawfully the effects of the development on neighbouring amenity is confirmed by representations received as part of this application.”
The Sun has reached out to Ceredigion County Council for comment.