Lodges may be ‘change in character of the site’
PLANS have been submitted for luxury holiday lodges to be installed near the border of the Staffordshire Moorlands.
A planning application has been put forward to East Staffordshire Borough Council for the change of use of agricultural land to facilitate the siting of eight holiday lodges, installation of package treatment plant, associated engineering operations and formation of access track at Michaels Lane, Wootton.
The proposed site would be near to the Staffordshire Moorlands border at Ramshorn and also close to Alton Towers.
A planning, design and access statement by Savills (UK) on behalf of the applicant, Weaver Lea Lodges, said: “The holiday lodges will be sited in a low density layout to ensure that the desired (high) quality of holiday accommodation can be delivered. The lodges will be used strictly for holiday purposes on a year round basis.
“The development generally will provide significant benefits to the local economy in terms of both the direct and indirect spend associated with the holiday lodges. Additional support to local businesses will be promoted through the employment of local contractors and tradesmen such as builders, electricians, plumbers, landscapers and cleaning staff in the construction process and thereafter during the operation of the site.
“Due to the small-scale, rural aspect of the development there will be no requirement for any supporting commercial facilities such as a clubhouse or small shop/supermarket. Visitors to the lodge park will therefore use existing facilities and shops in the area which further emphasises the importance of the proposed development to the rural economy.
“The site is located to the southeast of Wootton adjacent to existing residential properties at the junction of Hall Lane/michael’s Lane.
“There would inevitably be a change in the character of the site from grassland to holiday lodges should the proposals be approved.
“However, the proposed development is modest in scale and it would relate closely to existing residential properties at the junction of Hall Lane and Michael’s Lane. The holiday lodges would only be 3.98m high and they would be finished in natural looking materials and colours appropriate to this rural area. It is anticipated that the size of individual lodges will be 12.2m x 6.1m (40ft x 20ft).
“In addition the sloping nature of the site combined with the boundary trees and hedgerows would help to minimise the effects of the development from the north and west.
“The existing vehicular access road to the site will be retained. Access is gained via Hall Lane which leads directly to Michael’s Lane.
“In terms of traffic generation, the lodges will be sold on an owner occupied basis with no private subletting.
“As such, the traffic generated by the proposed development will be minimal. Holiday lodges which are sold on an owner-occupied basis tend to have lower occupancy rates compared with fleet letting units.
“Even at the peak of the operating season during July and August, we would anticipate occupancy to be no greater than 35 per cent.”
It is anticipated that a decision on the application will be made by planners within the next eight weeks.