Holiday lodges to built on farm with visitors given access to …
Holiday lodges are set to be built on a farm in Lutterworth and people who stay in them will be able to use the site's equestrian facilities. Permission to build 21 holiday homes on farmland in Moorbarns Lane[1] was given by the planning committee at Harborough District Council[2] this week.
This is not the first time the application was scrutinised by the committee[3], as it was already reviewed at a meeting in April. But the decision to approve it was delayed to allow the applicant Ian Fenny to collect more data about its potential affect on traffic.
Councillors had initially felt the application did not provide enough detail about the scheme’s potential impact on the roads, but were satisfied this time around that the concerns had been addressed. Mr Fenny has also been permitted to build a single storey management building on the 33-acre site, as well as associated parking for the lodges.
The committee heard evidence to support the scheme from the applicant’s planning agent[5] Lance Wiggins. He said: “In response to the deferral of the decision in April, my client has conducted additional traffic surveys and prepared an update to the transport statement.
“The land is already used for equestrian activity and the additional proposal would bring significant economic benefits in terms of direct and indirect employment and spending in the local economy. The lodges are not residential properties, they are for holiday use. They will provide investment and employment, recreational opportunities and will also allow some guests to bring their own horses”
As the site is already used for equestrian purposes, a range of stables sit close by. The applicant has been permitted to use these buildings for commercial use, which includes being used by "holiday makers[6] who wish to use the facilities."
But the site will not be used as a commercial riding school, according to council documents, as this is "likely to create additional traffic which has not been fully assessed".
Councillors voted unanimously[7] to support the scheme and no objections were raised at the meeting. Simon Whelband, the Conservative councillor for Kibworth said during the discussion: “I support this scheme, I think the applicant has done enough to address the highway concerns and I have no issues with it.”
References
- ^ 21 holiday homes on farmland in Moorbarns Lane (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ Harborough District Council (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ the application was scrutinised by the committee (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ Teachers vote for industrial action in autumn over pay issues (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ applicant’s planning agent (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ by "holiday makers (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ Councillors voted unanimously (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)