Holiday cabin plans for popular Shropshire festival site rejected by planners
A bid to build a holiday cabin at the site of a popular Shropshire festival has been rejected by planning officers.
Shropshire Council has been asked to approve a proposal for a detached holiday cabin on land near Gatten Farm, Ratlinghope - a site which forms part of the location for the successful Farmer Phil's Music Festival.
This year's festival is due to be held on August 8, 9 and 10.
The festival has taken place since 1998 with a number of internationally respected and local musicians taking part.
The application requested permission for a cabin measuring seven metres by 3.4m with a height of 2.7m.
It added: "Parking will be designated for a single vehicle adjacent to the cabin, and the cabin will house two persons, has a king size bed, sofa, a table and two chairs, sink unit, shower room and toilet."
A design and access statement submitted with the plans explained that the applicant had been confident in the diversification plan, highlighting the increased interest in UK tourism and 'staycationing' following the Covid pandemic.
It stated: "Not surprisingly no-one could have envisaged the impact of a pandemic on the everyday lives and holiday aspirations of the population and the changes it would involve to persons health, day-to-day living and financial constraints.
"The resultant changes to foreign travel restrictions/concerns meant there was a vast requirement for staycation accommodation in the United Kingdom which was not foreseen and such a demand is increasing."
The application also cited the previous approval of holiday lets at the neighbouring TC Fisheries as a reason to back the cabin proposal.
But, after considering the proposal, Shropshire Council's planning department has rejected the application.
A decision notice issued by the authority said the application was not in line with the council's policies, and also highlighted a failure to assess a nearby body of water for the presence of great crested newts - which are a protected species.
It states: "The proposed cabin to be used as holiday accommodation is sited within the open countryside and the scheme has not been submitted as part of a sustainable rural tourism development or agricultural diversification scheme and as such the proposal fails to accord with Shropshire's Core Strategy policies."
