The government has refused plans to build three yurts in Kirkby Malzeard.
The proposal would have seen the yurts created on Back Lane North, to the west of Pipistrelle Barn, in a field previously used for grazing sheep.
The application was submitted by Frederick Atkinson to create the yurts, each on raised decking and with its own hot tub along with a ‘services area’ of toilet, sink and shower in a wooden hut.
Harrogate Borough Council turned down the proposal in September.
The authority said the plan would have “an adverse impact upon the character and appearance of the Nidderdale Area of Oustanding Natural Beauty”.
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Mr Atkinson argued that the plan would help to create a “peaceful, low impact and eco-friendly retreat” and took the decision to the Planning Inspectorate.
But Adrian Caines, a government planning inspector, rejected the challenge.
He said the plan would give rise to “significant conflict” with the council’s development plan, in particular the area of outstanding natural beauty.
Mr Caines said:
Developer appeals council refusal for three yurts in Kirkby Malzeard“The proposal would give rise to significant conflict with the contents of the development plan relating to the landscape and scenic beauty of the AONB, and in relation to the living conditions of neighbouring residents.”
Developers have lodged an appeal against a decision to reject plans for three yurts in Kirkby Malzeard.
The proposal would have seen the yurts created on Back Lane North, to the west of Pipistrelle Barn, in a field previously used for grazing sheep.
The application was submitted by Frederick Atkinson to create the yurts, each on raised decking and with its own hot tub along with a ‘services area’ of toilet, sink and shower in a wooden hut.
Harrogate Borough Council turned down the proposal in September.
The authority said the plan would have “an adverse impact upon the character and appearance of the Nidderdale Area of Oustanding Natural Beauty”.
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However, the developer has lodged an appeal against the decision to the government’s Planning Inspectorate.
In documents submitted to the council, the developer said:
“The subject proposals would see the creation of a small family-run business named ‘Yurts @ Pipistrelle Barn’.
“It is envisaged that the site will provide a peaceful, low impact and eco-friendly retreat, nestled on the edge of a well serviced Yorkshire village, providing the perfect base for future guests to enjoy the best of North Yorkshire.”
A government planning inspector will make a decision on the plan at a later date.
Have the district’s glamping sites benefitted from foreign travel chaos?In the past few years high end camping or “glamping” as it is more commonly known, has become increasing popular, with a number of new sites springing up in the district.
Now as families weigh up whether to risk airport and port chaos to go abroad or remain in the UK, how is this relatively new holiday industry faring?
Some providers in the Harrogate district have reported an increase in trade, others have seen a downturn.
This has been put down to an increase in the cost of living, as well as last year’s demand being “unprecedented” due covid travel restrictions.
The local glamping industry
Tom Sterne, owner of Yurtshire, between Ripon and Pateley Bridge, said advance bookings for the luxury glamping and wellness retreat have been growing by the day.
He said:
“Since the news about flight cancellations and chaotic scenes at airports hit the media, the number of enquiries we have received has increased markedly.
“When we opened last July, we benefited from the sudden switch to staycations, from people across the Harrogate district and further afield, who would normally fly off to the sun and we are witnessing a repeat this year.”
A break in Nidderdale
Lindsay and Chris Morrell, whose annual summer holidays in Tuscany have been on hold since the covid lockdowns began in March 2020, have booked Italy next year.
But the couple, who used to live in Harrogate and have since moved to Northumberland, decided to take a break in Nidderdale for their 2022 getaway.
Ms Morrell said:
“With the problems people are encountering at airports, we didn’t want to risk booking for Tuscany this year and hope that issues affecting overseas travel will be sorted out by the time we are ready to venture abroad.”
Chris and Lindsay Morrell
For friends Carroll Shaw and Annie Brown, who live in Ripon, overseas holidays are no longer on the agenda.
Ms Shaw said:
“Why would anybody who lives so close to the gorgeous Nidderdale countryside, want the hassle of flying thousands of miles to lie on a crowded beach?”
A slow start
Louise Pullan co-owns the Breaks Fold Farm camping and glamping site in the Washburn Valley, next to Thruscross Reservoir, in the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
She told the Stray Ferret that the beginning of the year had been very quiet, but it had started to pick up.
Breaks Fold Farm.
Ms Pullan, who runs the site with her husband Richard, said:
“It has been a very slow start.
“We were 60 per cent down in May and June based on our 2019 bookings.
“However we have seen a rapid uptake in bookings into July and August in all our accommodation.
“People are watching their finances and holidays maybe aren’t top of their priority lists.
“We have noticed we are getting a lot of local guests from Harrogate and Skipton, so maybe the fuel prices are also having an impact on people’s choices.”
Ms Pullan said the campsite’s main customer base is short stays of two to three nights.
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A difficult financial time
She said the price had been kept the same for the last three years, with discounts on longer stays to try and help people out during what is a difficult financial time.
She said:
“This is difficult as we as a business are now seeing increasing costs. For example our waste emptying costs have gone up 30 per cent, a bottle of gas has gone from £55 to £85 and our business insurance is double last year’s.
“We can’t afford to employ somebody this year due to soaring inflation, which is putting a huge pressure on us as a two-man band.
“Energy prices are just completely unbelievable and some of our fellow owners are up on 57p per kw, seeing their energy bills over double on previous years.
“We are only going to be able to absorb this for so long, unless hospitality businesses are offered some form of relief such as a VAT cut, like they were through 2021.
“Some sites have tried massively to capitalise on the staycation boom from 2020 and have made their prices unreachable for some.”
Cutting back
Claire Jones, owner of Strawberry Safari shepherds huts, in Wormald Green, between Harrogate and Ripon, said she had also seen a quieter year compared to last year.
Strawberry Safari.
She said:
Plans submitted for three yurts in Kirkby Malzeard field“We believe this is due to a combination of people going abroad and also cutting back on short breaks in between their main holidays, due to cost of living increases.
“That said, last year’s demand was unprecedented and so it’s hard to compare the two.
“We have still seen some lovely guests this year, many of whom are here to enjoy the many events happening in and around Harrogate.”
A new holiday site could be created in Kirkby Malzeard if planning permission is granted for three yurts in an agricultural field.
An application has been submitted by Frederick Atkinson to create the yurts, each on raised decking and with its own hot tub along with a ‘services area’ of toilet, sink and shower in a wooden hut.
The site of the proposed yurts is on Back Lane North, to the west of Pipistrelle Barn, in a field previously used for grazing sheep. The application showed there would be a package treatment plant created, as well as a walkway alongside the barn to a parking area at its east.
It added:
“The subject proposals would see the creation of a small family-run business named ‘Yurts @ Pipistrelle Barn’.
“It is envisaged that the site will provide a peaceful, low impact and eco-friendly retreat, nestled on the edge of a well serviced Yorkshire village, providing the perfect base for future guests to enjoy the best of North Yorkshire.
“The proposed holiday site will generate four full-time jobs, comprising an administration role to include welcoming and hosting, a site maintenance role to include groundskeeping and waste management, an IT support role to include website creation, maintenance and booking management, and a cleaning role.
“Pipistrelle Barn, directly adjacent the application area, will provide the administration hub for the business and allow for natural surveillance of the site. Guests will arrive on-site and check in at the barn, where they will then be shown to the yurts on foot.”
Each yurt would be made from a wooden latticework frame with natural materials used as insulation and covered by canvas. Inside would feature a log-burning stove and a bed, with space for tables and chairs on the decking outside.
The proposed site layout
In supporting documents, the applicant said the development would “help support the economic and social well-being of the village and surrounding settlements”. The documents referred to using local businesses including Wards Logs, Steph Bennington Cleaners, Sam Watson Fencing and Highside Butchers.
A previous application for three yurts without hot tubs on the site was made in December 2021 but withdrawn in April. It had proposed creating a new parking area in the south-west corner of the site.
Ten comments were received from members of the public, with nine objecting to the plans and none supporting them. However, the parish council did not raise any objection.
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In response to the current application, a report from Harrogate Borough Council’s environmental health officer Mary Jones said:
“The main issue with this proposal compared to the application commented on February 2022 is the addition of hot tubs.
“Normal use of the yurts should not cause an issue as there would be a certain amount of self-regulation on site. I have concerns that if a party hire the yurts especially all three the noise that could be produced would cause a nuisance to local residents particularly if it was accompanied by amplified music.
“It would be worth considering a booking form precluding amplified music at the hot tubs and also avoiding renting the yurts to parties such as stag and hen parties.”
One comment has already been received from a member of the public, Jamie Firth. He said he has run a holiday let since 2016 and raised concerns about the area becoming “satiated” with holiday properties, as he said there is already more than enough to meet demand.
To view or comment on the application, visit the Harrogate Borough Council planning website and use reference 22/02523/FUL.
Ripon to get new luxury glamping siteA glamping site with luxury yurts and hot tubs will open near Ripon next year, to capitalise on the current “staycation” boom.
Yorkshire Yurts, which already operates a similar site called “Yurtshire” near to Fountain’s Abbey, was granted planning permission from Harrogate Borough Council this week to develop the new campsite.
The site on the edge of Eavestone Lake near Ripon will have 12 yurts for people to stay in as well as a spa, fire pits and pizza ovens.
Demand for glamping has soared this year and Tom Stern from Yorkshire Yurts told the Stray Ferret that there’s no better time to expand his business.
He said:
“Staycations are massively on the increase due to Brexit and coronavirus. People want to get away from it all and have a back-to-nature experience where they can stay in a bit of luxury and have the benefits of the great outdoors”.
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The planning application received objections from local residents who said that it will harm the “peace and tranquility” of the rural setting, but Mr Stern said the campsite will be sympathetic to its surroundings.
He added:
“It’s a beautiful spot, and what we are planning is low key. We are putting a lot into it to maintain the land, planting more trees which will enable us to manage the nearby woodland.”
The camspite will open in Spring/Summer 2021.