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28
Oct
Lightwater Valley applies for changes to its new glamping site
A popular theme park has applied to vary a condition of its plans to build 31 glamping pods.
Lightwater Valley, in North Stainley, near Ripon was granted planning permission to create the pods by North Yorkshire Council earlier this year.
The application, submitted in 2023, was already a variation on plans to create a holiday village at the theme park.
In 2013, planning permission was granted to change the use of land in the northeast of the park to create 106 holiday chalets with a reception unit, housekeeping unit and supporting services.
However, the recent plans were submitted to change the plans from lodges to glamping pods.
The plans were approved to allow the chalets to be in use between January and March in any year.
The relevant pre-commencement conditions were carried out in 2014, meaning the application is still in force.
The theme park has now applied to change the conditions.
Currently the planning conditions state:
The chalets/lodges hereby shall not be occupied by the same resident(s) for more than 28 days at any one time and the site owners shall keep a register of such residents/visitors that shall be made available to the Local Planning Authority at all reasonable times.
Anderson Leisure LLP, a Grassington-based firm of chartered surveyors, submitted supporting documents to North Yorkshire Council.
The surveyors argued:
The current restriction on length of stay is likely to severely affect the appetite of potential private lodge purchasers.
Whilst in practice the 28-day limit may not be breached regularly, owners wish to have flexibility in the use of their holiday home and will consider the 28-day restriction burdensome.
Lightwater Valley masterplan
The documents supporting the the alteration reason that Lightwater Valley will retain some lodges and all the glamping pods as an in-house letting fleet.
Some of the private owners may be expected to let their units commercially, either privately or through the theme park’s website.
The documents add:
It will remain in the interests of Lightwater Valley to encourage as much holiday use of the lodges and pods as possible since this will drive the number of visitors into the park and the use of the ancillary facilities including retail and food outlets.
The current planning restrictions are likely to reduce the demand for the purchase of lodges. This will put pressure on the funding of the scheme. It will additionally make the project more dependent on debt. This deliverability of the will place a question mark over the project, which has been designed to increase the use of the theme park, extend the season and underpin long-term sustainability.
Tony Gibbons, managing director at Lightwater Valley Group, told the Stray Ferret:
The 28-day rule is standard practice and was an oversight in the original plans. The change will bring us in line with every other business of this kind.
The extension doesn’t mean people can live there permanently, but it means people have a right to rent or sell the properties.
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