A SECLUDED family farm in the Herefordshire borders is seeking permission to become a fully-fledged wedding venue.

A wedding and events business already operates at The Dragon’s Gate, at the mixed 130-acre Great Demesne farm in Garwa, “on a temporary basis”, according to applicant Cheryl Sparey.

With customers provided their own wedding reception marquee or tent, the farm “has tested the market with a few weddings during 2023 and 2024”.

It now intends to put their fledgling Monnow Valley business on a more formal footing, for which the change of use of a 120-square-metre threshing barn requires full planning permission (application number 242970).

Nearby areas of the farm would meanwhile provide ceremony space, “allowing the entire event to be situated on site without the need to travel from a local church”, while an on-field parking area and shepherd’s hut-style portable toilets would also feature, her application says.

Outside of weddings, the ceremony and tent spaces and reception lawn “will lie dormant most of the time”.

The venue would host weddings from May to September, with no more than 15 a year, each with up to 120 guests.

To minimise the impact on neighbours, all events would end at 11pm, while use of fireworks and Chinese lanterns would be strictly prohibited.

Ms Sparey, who has 13 years’ experience in hospitality management on private yachts and private jets, adds in her application that while the core target market will be weddings, “there is also scope for the facility to accommodate other events such as parties or corporate events” as well as classes and workshops.

Her application aims to address concerns put in pre-application advice from Herefordshire Council on traffic and car parking, noise, lighting and wildlife at the site.

It says the nearest neighbours are over 200 metres away.

Comments can be made until January 14.