Appeal submitted over camping pods plans near Ulverston

Mr S Parr has submitted an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate after Westmorland and Furness Council refused proposals from the applicant to construct 12 camping pods and set up a camping area on Ewe Dale Farm in Pennington.

In April the council ruled the plans do not form part of a farm diversification scheme and considered the proposals ‘unsuitable’.

The decision notice states: “The scale of the proposal is considered inappropriate for the locality given the significant increase in self-catering holiday lets, the significant distance from key services, such as a convenience store, and the proposal would cause harm to the wider landscape due to the visibility of the site and the scale of the development.”

Proposals involved dedicating an area for camping with an existing building being converted to provide for toilets and washing facilities.

According to planning documents Ewe Dale Farm is an established site comprising of five holiday cottages and three timber lodges.

It is also proposed the existing stable building would be converted into ladies and gents facilities, a separate disabled facility and a laundry facility. The remainder of the building would continue as a store for the site.

Appeal documents state the proposal meets planning policy and says the proposals should be seen as an ‘appropriate’ development to complement the existing tourism offer at the site.

The design and access statement says: “The proposal involves the siting of 12 pods within the site to increase the range of accommodation offered at the site.

“Most notably there is a growing demand for smaller units of accommodation (for short stays), and pods are an ideal form of accommodation. Additionally, the proposal involves an area of land to be dedicated to camping, with an existing building being converted to provide for toilets and wash facilities.”

The appeal is under consideration by the Planning Inspectorate.