New ‘luxurious glamping huts’ near Warboys blocked over claims they would harm beauty of the countryside
Council says plans would introduce “dense, incongruous and intrusive hard edges” in the rural countryside.
A caravan park has been stopped from expanding to offer “luxurious glamping huts” over concerns they could harm the countryside.
Fenside Caravan Park, in Puddock Road, near Warboys, had asked for permission to set up six shepherds huts, eight static caravans, and offer three touring caravan pitches.
Currently the park offers 16 touring caravan pitches, but the owners of the park said they wanted to “enhance” what they could offer to visitors.
The park owners also said they wanted to extend the opening of the park to 11 months of the year.
In plans submitted to Huntingdonshire District Council, it said: “The proposal will enhance and diversify existing camping provision, by providing amongst other facilities, luxurious glamping huts and improved static caravan provision.
“Together with extended seasonal opening times, it will provide improved overnight accommodation and encourage visitors to extend their experience in the district beyond a day trip; enhancing the economic, cultural and heritage benefits that are derived from increasing tourist spending in the district.”
However, the district council refused the application stating that the changes would see permanent structures put up in the countryside.
The authority said this would introduce “dense, incongruous and intrusive hard edges” in the rural countryside.
It said: “The proposals would cause harm to the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside and the landscape quality of the area.”
Planning officers at the district council said they recognised there could be some benefits of creating an expanded tourism facility to attract people to visit the area.
However, they said not enough information had been given to them to show why the shepherds huts and caravans had to be located in the countryside, rather than closer to or within a town or village.
Officers said they were also not satisfied that there was demand for these types of holiday rentals in the area.
They said: “The proposal does not evidence a demand to expand the existing touring caravan site in this location to demonstrate long-term business viability.
“Nor has the application demonstrated with robust operational or sustainability reasons why the development needs to be in the countryside.
“The development would therefore have an unjustified and detrimental urbanising impact on the countryside.”