THE OWNERS of a five-star bed and breakfast establishment operating without planning permission and caught in the middle of a bitter dispute with neighbours will find out tomorrow (Thursday) whether they can stay in business.

Alan and Sian James, of Castell y Graig, Pentre-gwenlais, near Llandybie, have applied for retrospective consent for part of their home to be turned into a B &B.

The venue has been operating as a business for just under a year.

Mr and Mrs James' application was submitted following an enforcement investigation instigated after complaints from the owner of the adjacent farm, Ffynnon Gollen.

Pat Langford's objections to were based on the retrospective nature of the application, highway safety and disruption to livestock.

But planning officer Ceri Davies has moved to allay these fears, insisting that the head of transport has no problems with the access road.

"The access serving Castell y Graig, though not ideal, is considered adequate to accommodate the traffic generated by bed and breakfast use," he said.

"Furthermore such a minimal increase in traffic, though more than that normally associated with a residential dwelling, will not be of such a level that will cause disruption to the livestock or the occupiers of the adjoining farm."

An application to change the use of farm outbuilding at Castell y Graig to holiday accomodation was turned down in August 2004. An appeal was dismissed in February 2005.

But it seems the current application will prove successful, with Mr Davies recommending approval at a planning meeting tomorrow (Thursday).

"It is accepted that the farmhouse has been extensively altered as a result of several previous applications to extend the dwelling.

"However, the extensions have all retained and preserved the original building's character.

"The bed and breakfast use is deemed to be on a scale that is appropriate at this location.

"Furthermore, there are no amenity, highway or public service provision objections."