Temporary welcome hut planned for park’s entrance
A NEW welcome hut is being planned at one of Staffordshire Moorlands most popular tourist destinations.
The National Trust has applied to the Peak District Authority for permission to erect the hut at Ilam Park.
The picturesque park location welcomes thousands of visitors to the area and is close to Dovedale.
The planning application involves the installation of temporary visitor welcome hut for 18 months, including small area of hardstanding.
A planning and heritage statement submitted with the application said: “Ilam Park is a very special place that the National Trust owns and cares for in the Peak District National Park. The park is close to the National Park boundary and acts as a recreational hub for visitors exploring the Peak District. The Trust fully acknowledges the landscape, biodiversity, heritage and recreational value of Ilam Park and that particular care is required in dealing with proposed developments.
“This proposal is to create a temporary visitor welcome facility in the form of a small wooden hut, in lieu of a more permanent facility to be designed and proposed in future years. The purpose of this is to improve the arrival and welcome experience of visitors to Ilam Park. At present it is not obvious to visitors where to go once they have parked their vehicle and wish to start their visit. We currently have limited facilities to provide visitor information on arrival. This is currently done through a welcome map and an ad-hoc presence of a gazebo or van staffed by a welcome host.
“The welcome hut will allow us to provide a more obvious welcome and entry point to the main visitor facilities and will provide visitor information whether a welcome host is present or not. Erecting a temporary hut for the next 18 months will also allow us to trial the location of a visitor welcome structure and will help to inform our future plans for improving visitor welcome, reception and orientation at Ilam Park.”
A decision on the application is expected within the next six weeks.