PLANS to create luxury holiday lodges on farmland have been approved by councillors despite objections

The scheme, on land east of Ormsby Hill, near Lanchester includes the creation of eight holiday chalets, and a site management building with residential accommodation for a site manager.

Members of the northern area planning committee, sitting at County Hall, in Durham, approved the full planning permission at a meeting on Thursday afternoon.

Councillors were told objections were received from Lanchester Parish Council and seven local residents, with a representation received from the Lanchester Partnership.

Objectors complained the development will have a negative impact on the rural character of the Browney and Small Hope Valley areas and that flora and fauna and the wildlife corridor will be compromised.

There are concerns that the development may set a precedent and lead to further proposals or a change of use to market housing as well as increase traffic and noise levels in the area.

The parish council objected over fears about the size and appearance of the proposed buildings in a rural location, additional pressure on village facilities, a lack of existing woodland management and the effect on existing residents’ quality of life.

Lanchester Parish Councillor Paul Jackson said: “The proposal in an area of high landscape value and will have an adverse effect on this. It is a special area of visual importance to Lanchester.”

The meeting was told a series of applications between 2004 and 2005 led to the refusal of a proposal to site around 40 static caravans on the land, which was upheld at appeal.

But, in 2013 a planning committee approved consent for a similar scheme for eight holiday lodges.

The committee was told it was the new application was a resubmission, with only minor changes, because the previous permission had expired.

Glenn McGill, of MD2 Consulting, planning agent for Holmside Developments, the applicant, said the removal of restrictive covenant on the land had delayed progress on the scheme.

He said: “We understand local residents objected and it is their right to do that. We respect that but we do not believe there are any amenity impacts.

“The site is used by dog walkers in the main and is far enough away from the settlement. It will derive benefits for Lanchester when it is implemented.”