Agenda item

Use of agricultural land for siting of 3 glamping cabins [Wheldrake Ward] [Site Visit]

Members considered a full application by Mrs Anna Hopwood for the use of agricultural land for the siting of 3 glamping cabins at Crabtree New Farm, York Road, Deighton.

Officers clarified the location of the access road and that the applicant had put forward a case for “very special circumstances” for the development.

Sam Harrison, agent for the applicant, spoke in support of the application. He noted that there had been no objections to the application. He explained the case for “very special circumstances” could be demonstrated and he noted a previous similar application which had been approved by the committee on that basis two miles from the site at Wheldrake. He considered the need for diversification in the farming sector as being “very special circumstances.”

Anna Hopwood, the applicant, then addressed Members in support of the application, explaining the case for “very special circumstances”. She explained that the farm consisted of 47 acres of land, which did allow an income to continue the farm business. She noted that no objections to the application had been received and other options for diversification on the farm had been examined and were unfeasible. She explained the size of the cabins and added that they had a minimal visual impact on other buildings in the area.

Members asked Anna Hopwood a number of questions to which she answered that:

·        The reduction in the size of the land to 47 acres was the actual size of Crabtree New Farm.

·        The installation of wind turbines, solar panels on the buildings and land and storage has been considered as areas of diversification. She explained why these were not feasible.

Officers were asked if the cabins could be screened off and they explained that the cabins would be visible from the track up the highway and from Escrick Village (from the doctors surgery). The cabins could be screened off and would take time to grow and the addition of cars near the cabins would add to the domestication of the site.

Discussion followed, during which Members expressed a number of different views concerning the application. Whilst discussion took place, officers clarified that under paragraph 88 of the NPPF, Members needed to be satisfied that “very special circumstances” existed to overcome the harm to the green belt.

Cllr Galvin moved and Cllr Looker seconded a motion to defer the application. On being put to the vote, the motion was lost.

Cllr Taylor moved and Cllr Funnell seconded a motion to approve the application. On being put to the vote, the motion was lost.

Cllr Reid then moved and Cllr Flinders seconded the Officer recommendation to refuse the application. On being put to the vote, it was:

Resolved: That the application be refused.

Reason:     It is considered that the proposed glamping pods constitute inappropriate development in the Green Belt as set out in Section 9 of the National Planning Policy Framework.  As such, the proposal results in harm to the Green Belt, by definition, and harms the openness of the Green Belt and conflicts with one of the purposes of including land within it by failing to safeguard the countryside from encroachment. Additional harm has also been identified as a result of the impact of the introduction of the glamping pods in to an otherwise rural landscape.  The circumstances put forward by the applicant do not clearly outweigh this harm and therefore do not amount to very special circumstances for the purposes of the NPPF.  The proposal is, therefore, considered contrary to advice within the National Planning Policy Framework, in particular section 9 'Protecting Green Belt land'.