A proposal for a new holiday complex including luxury lodges has been rejected after fierce opposition from residents and council officials. 

Plans were submitted in May 2021 for 24 two, three and four-bedroomed luxury holiday lodges, a reception building and new landscaping on a site north west of Beamish Hall, County Durham, in a move that developer Peter Conroy said would be a big boost for the region’s holiday industry.

He said the facility would contribute ‘significantly’ to the millions of pounds pumped annually into the local economy and support 25 jobs during construction, along with 10 jobs created onsite once operational, as well as sustaining a host of local businesses within the Beamish, Stanley and Durham region.

The planned lodges were said to be designed as part of a landscape and heritage-led development in keeping with the character of the area, and could be constructed using local materials to match the colour and design of existing structures within the area.

The Northern Echo: The holiday lodges plan was outlined for land north west of Beamish HallThe holiday lodges plan was outlined for land north west of Beamish Hall (Image: The Northern Echo)

Plans for a new reception building propose a waiting area, staff bathroom and offices with parking space for visitors close to the entrance. Access to the site will be improved with a new road, while a route to Beamish Hall, Beamish Park Golf Club and Beamish Outdoor Museum will improve connections to nearby attractions for pedestrians and cyclists.

However, after more than 100 public responses to the proposal were submitted to the council and several alterations to planning documents the proposal was rejected by council planning officials.

Although many public responses supported the plans the scale of the objections was summarised in a  response from the local MP Kevan Jones, who said several constituents had expressed their concern about the scale of the facility on land supposed to be protected from development. 

Council planning officers said the application would cause substantial harm to the nearby conservation area and failed to “demonstrate that the proposed development is necessary to meet identified visitor need”. 

The Northern Echo: An aerial drawing of how the site could look An aerial drawing of how the site could look (Image: The Northern Echo)

The refusal notice added: “The Local Planning Authority considers that the proposed development has failed to demonstrate clear opportunities to make its location more sustainable, or provide appropriate routes for walking, cycling and bus access to clearly link the development to existing services and facilities.

“The proposed development adversely affects and, therefore, fails to conserve or enhance the special qualities of the site as a designated Area of High Landscape Value and that the benefits of the development would not clearly outweigh such affects.”

The development was rejected by council officials on Thursday, November 24.

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