County planners are to visit the site of plans to replace a 1960s Beulah bungalow, made by the owners of a rally car business with a worldwide reach.

Members of Ceredigion County Council’s Development Management Committee, meeting on 12 July, were recommended to refuse the application by Meirion Evans to replace and demolish the family home at Allt y Bryn, Beulah.

It had been recommended for refusal on the grounds of, amongst other things, excessive scale, appearance and an inappropriate design.

Agent JMS Planning & Development Ltd, in its supporting statement, said: “Allt y Bryn is a detached bungalow lived in by Meirion and Ann Evans (the applicants) and their two children.

“They own the adjoining business of Wales Motorsport, an extremely successful business which specialises in producing the highest quality rally components for Gp4 Escort, Mk1 and 2 rally cars, providing parts to customers throughout the world.”

It added: “The replacement dwelling will be located adjacent to the footprint of the original dwelling, however the bulk, size and scale will be larger and the reason for this is that Meirion and Ann have two teenage children who require their own space, they also require an office space for both of them, with Meirion’s business and Ann working as a teacher [at Crymych’s Ysgol y Preseli] and part time in the business.

“At present Ann has to mark on the kitchen table and Meirion spends hours in the evening out in the shed on his computer. The current dwelling does not offer them the space required to cater for their family’s needs.”

At the 12 July meeting, local member Cllr Chris James said Mr Evans’s business exported cars “throughout the world,” adding “we’re talking about knocking down a very old bungalow which doesn’t have much worth.”

He described the proposed replacement as “a modern house without being too modern”.

Members were told by officers there were no objections in principle to the development, the key points being the design in a rural context, but it was stressed the council was not opposed to contemporary designs.

Cllr Gareth Lloyd said the plans were an improvement on the existing bungalow.

He felt criteria on what was considered an acceptable design for an area like Beulah were unfair.

He said: “If you were to see this on a plot in Aberystwyth it would be no problem; an individual living in the countryside should not be treated differently to one living in a town.”

Members agreed to a site visit being made ahead of any decision.