Holiday let plan for Shropshire farm refused as it's deemed an 'unacceptable development'
A plan to create new holiday lets on a farm in east Shropshire has been knocked back.
Planning officers at Shropshire Council say small-scale economic and tourism benefits brought by the scheme for Sytch Farm, Claverley, would not justify the “inappropriate” development on greenbelt land.
In a statement prepared on behalf of the applicant, Oliver Holland, planning agents Rural Planning Co said the plan to site three shepherds huts on the farm, which they argue would be legally defined as “caravans”, would bring tourists to the area and encourage additional revenue for nearby businesses.
“The proposed enterprise will be run on a day-to-day basis by the applicant and their family to provide them with an additional revenue stream to support their existing holiday let business (The Watermill Retreat). It is expected that the huts will be desirable to cyclists, walkers and nature lovers, with the latter being able to take advantage of the attractive surrounding landscape,” it said.
“The slight increase in visitors will mean more people are encouraged to spend money in the local area which will bring in valuable income to the local economy.
“As the site will be self catered, guests will be encouraged to visit local farm shops, pubs and restaurants for their dining purposes.”
A small car parking area was also proposed to provide three car parking spaces for the huts, which would use an existing unclassified access road to the farm.
But in refusing the application, council planning officers said that access road was inappropriate, and the overall scale of the scheme would constitute an unacceptable development on greenbelt land.
“The shepherd huts and associated development would have a bulk and mass which would cause additional sprawl and built encroachment into the countryside, the spatial and visual effects of the development would harm the openness of the greenbelt,” they said.
“The proposed development would intensify the use of the existing access and as such would need to meet current highway standards.
“Insufficient information has been submitted to demonstrate that a safe means of vehicle access can be achieved.”
