Proposals for 10 glamping pods at a Ribble Valley glamping site have been submitted to the council.

Mark and Hilary Berry want to build the pods on agricultural land they own at Knott Lane, Newsholme, around three kilometres northeast of Gisburn.

Mr and Mrs Berry live at Hoober Farm on Green Lane in Skipton which is 900m from the application site.

They currently operate Hedgerow Luxury Glamping and began to offer tourist accommodation in 2019 and are now seeking to expand their accommodation offering as their business grows.

Previously there has been planning permission for six holiday pods at Knott Lane but the Berrys want to erect more to meet the soaring tourist demand in the area.

The Berrys also run a dairy farm and the income generated from the glamping enterprise will continue to support the core working farm.

A planning statement reads: “The demand for holiday accommodation provision of the type proposed has significantly grown during recent years, because of the recent restriction upon foreign travel, the desire for staycation type holidays, and the popularity of weekend or mini breaks in secluded areas of the countryside where guests seek to holiday in quiet locations in accommodation sympathetic to its surroundings.

“The small scale of the proposals also accords with the constraints being experienced by holiday makers by reason of affordability. Small single bedroom units such as those proposed are more accessible and are more suited to weekend breaks and short stays.”

The pods would be detached, single storey in construction with one living space, dining area, separate bathroom and kitchen area.

They will be of bespoke design of timber domed construction with a lightweight tile roof and timber cladding and will utilise sustainable energy sources.

The glamping pods will be accessed from Knott Lane using the existing vehicle access lane and each unit will have dedicated parking.

The planning statement continues: “The current proposal is for an additional 10 holiday accommodation pods, bringing the total at Hedgerow Luxury Glamping to 16, that are similar in terms of their scale and commercial justification to those on sites [already in existence].

“We therefore consider the application to be acceptable.”

Anyone wishing to comment on the application can do so before May 18.