Plans for Langho holiday let to become permanent home denied

Ribble Valley Borough Council rejected an application to remove a holiday occupancy restriction from the house at Dewhurst Farm, off Longsight Road, which would have allowed the property to be used as an unrestricted dwelling.

The application was submitted by Mr and Mrs Brelsford, who argued the holiday let business was no longer commercially viable and that the property should be allowed to become a permanent home.

An aerial view of the site and its surroundings (Image: JWPC)

Planning documents stated the property had been marketed for sale as a holiday let since October 2024 and remained unsold after 18 months. The supporting statement said it had been promoted to around 1,000 people, generating only three enquiries and one viewing, with no offers received.

The applicants also said the business had been operating at a loss, with income from holiday lettings failing to cover expenditure for three years.

In support of the application, planning consultants argued the site was in a sustainable location because it is close to bus stops on the A59 and has links to nearby housing, businesses and community facilities. They also pointed to the borough's shortage of housing land supply.

However, the council concluded that allowing unrestricted residential use would amount to introducing unjustified housing in an unsustainable countryside location.

The decision notice states future occupiers would be reliant on private cars to access key services and facilities, bringing the proposal into conflict with policies within the Ribble Valley Core Strategy and the objectives of the National Planning Policy Framework.

Planners said the harm caused by allowing permanent residential development in the location would "significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits".

The application follows a similar proposal submitted in 2024, which was also refused on grounds including the site's countryside location and reliance on private vehicles.