A government inspector has turned down plans for over 20 lodges on a Lake District farm as they would cause harm to the area’s character.
The Planning Inspectorate dismissed an appeal by Low Moor Howe Farm Ltd for 21 lodges on land to the north of Rosthwaite Farm, near Windermere, as part of a farm diversification scheme.
Low Moor Howe Ltd wanted to build the lodges because the current business was making a loss, it said, and diversification was necessary to ensure the long-term future of the farming business.
It wanted to provide 20 lodges for holiday accommodation and one as the reception, employing five people.
But a report by the Planning Inspectorate said that the effects of the proposed development would be unacceptable.
The report said: “My findings indicate that the appeal scheme would harm the character and appearance of the area.
“It would conflict with the purposes of the national park’s designation, fail to conserve the significance of the World Heritage Site, fail to conserve the important role played by the site within the setting of the registered park, and fail to preserve the setting of the listed building.”
The planning application was refused in February 2023 by the Lake District National Park Authority’s development control committee.
Members said they were concerned the lodges would adversely affect the character of the area, which they said was largely undeveloped open countryside.
The decision notice also stated the proposed access road would increase surface water flood risk and would adversely impact the public right of way by generating increased traffic on the footpath, among other reasons.
In appeal documents, the farm said public views towards the proposed timber lodges were localised and would not result in a highly conspicuous or visually congruous development.
It added any minor adverse effect on users of the public right of way would be significantly outweighed by the benefits of the proposal and added the proposed access road would not increase surface water risk.
