15 eco-lodges approved for Eaves Hall wedding venue

The scheme, submitted by James Places Eaves Hall Ltd, was granted planning permission and will provide additional accommodation for guests visiting the popular wedding and events venue in West Bradford.

The development will see 15 one and two-bedroom timber lodges built on a field within the Eaves Hall estate off Moor Lane, around 150 metres from the main hall.

Eaves Hall (Image: Stanton Andrews Architect)

Planning documents described the lodges as eco-friendly accommodation, featuring timber or lime-rendered walls and sedum-covered green roofs designed to blend into the surrounding countryside.

The units will be arranged in a loose semi-circle overlooking the countryside towards Pendle Hill.

The approved plans also include new access, parking and manoeuvring areas, cycle storage and refuse facilities.

When the application was submitted, planning agents said the lodges were intended to provide extra overnight accommodation for Eaves Hall guests and visitors seeking longer stays in the Ribble Valley.

Application documents stated that the layout had been designed around existing trees following ecological surveys and would be screened by existing woodland, hedgerows and stone walls, alongside additional landscaping.

The council's approval is subject to a series of conditions aimed at protecting the landscape, biodiversity and nearby residents.

The lodges can only be used as short-term holiday accommodation and cannot be occupied as permanent homes.

No individual or group will be allowed to stay in a lodge for more than 28 days in any calendar year, and operators must maintain a register of guests for inspection by the council if requested.

Planners have also restricted the development to the 15 approved lodges, meaning no additional holiday units, decking, hardstanding or other structures can be added without further planning permission.

Landscaping shown on the approved plans must be implemented and maintained for at least 10 years, including the replacement of any trees or shrubs that die or become damaged.

A range of measures to protect wildlife have also been imposed. Bird and bat boxes must be installed across the site, while the development must follow recommendations set out in an ecological appraisal.

Work must stop immediately if protected species such as bats, great crested newts or badgers are discovered during construction.

The developer will also have to submit and secure approval for a biodiversity gain plan before work begins.

Highway conditions attached to the approval require the creation of a new site access, visibility splays, parking areas and wheel-cleaning facilities during construction to prevent mud from being carried onto nearby roads.

Lighting across the site will be restricted to approved low-level LED bollards in an effort to minimise the impact on wildlife and the surrounding rural landscape.

Drainage infrastructure must also be installed in accordance with approved flood risk and sustainable drainage strategies before the lodges can be brought into use.

A planning statement submitted with the application said the proposal would create high-quality visitor accommodation while supporting Eaves Hall and the wider tourism economy in the Ribble Valley.