Chorley Borough Council refuse application for glamping pods

The proposal, submitted to Chorley Borough Council for land off Higher House Lane in Heapey, sought permission for the siting of three single-bed glamping pods. Each would have included a parking space, gravel access track, landscaping, and fencing.

The scheme was intended to support farm diversification for applicant Rob Mayor, a third-generation farmer, and his wife Katie.

Planning consultants MWT Planning Ltd said the pods would be "fully compliant with all relevant planning policies and should be approved without delay."

They argued that the development would "integrate perfectly into the site and wider open countryside."

In their planning statement, the applicants described the proposal as "a high quality tourism scheme that will be a welcome boost to the Chorley Borough’s rural economy."

However, Chorley Borough Council refused the application on July 28, citing three primary reasons.

The first was harm to the character and appearance of the countryside, which the council concluded would be contrary to multiple policies in the Chorley Local Plan and the Central Lancashire Core Strategy.

A spokesman for Chorley Borough Council said: "The proposal would result in unacceptable harm to the character and appearance of the countryside.

"The proposal would also conflict with the expectations of the Central Lancashire Rural Development Supplementary Planning Document 2012 and the National Planning Policy Framework."

The second reason for refusal related to unresolved concerns about site servicing, vehicle access, and turning.

The council said insufficient evidence had been provided to demonstrate safe vehicle movement within the site, raising highway safety and visual impact concerns.

The third reason involved biodiversity net gain (BNG). The application did not include a planning obligation to secure long-term monitoring, nor did it address access modifications in its calculations. 

In its decision notice, the council stated that "There were no amendments to the scheme, or conditions which could reasonably have been imposed, which could have made the development acceptable."

The application was supported by architectural drawings, a biodiversity net gain assessment, and a planning statement highlighting the project's alignment with both local and national policy.

The applicants had intended for the pods to serve visitors seeking a rural retreat, emphasising that the site’s location and design were in keeping with national policies promoting sustainable rural tourism.

However, the council concluded the environmental impact outweighed the potential economic benefits.