Councillors recommended to turn down plans for 20 micro holiday cabins near Morpeth

Members of Northumberland County Council’s Castle Morpeth Local Area Committee are being asked to refuse the change of use application for land adjacent to the N1 Golf Centre at a meeting on Monday.

The centre wants to create up to 20 plots for ‘micro’ holiday cabins, in association with the existing business.

The site of the planning application covers approximately 0.9 hectares of land. It comprises open grassland, which is currently unused but formerly used for archery, is surrounded by trees and woodland and is within close proximity to housing within Tranwell Woods.

Economic and tourism benefits were highlighted in the submitted documents, but there have been 48 objections. In addition, two petitions with a combined total of 92 signatures have been lodged and Mitford Parish Council is against the bid.

The planning officers’ report contains a summary of the objections, which include the following: ‘Inappropriate development in the green belt. No very special circumstances demonstrated and would create substantial harm to openness.

‘Noise management plan is inadequate and the proposal would cause noise and disturbance to local residents. Increased surface water would exacerbate existing localised flooding issues in Tranwell Woods.

‘The development would impact Tranwell Woods and surrounding area in terms of the character and tranquillity of the area.’

The report also sets out the case for the applicant: ‘The application states that the proposal forms part of a business diversification scheme in which the holiday accommodation will provide a ‘secondary income stream’ for the existing N1 Golf Centre.

‘The application highlights economic and tourism benefits, with woodland management and biodiversity enhancements within a land parcel to the north of the application site.’

However, officers say in recommending refusal: “There are positive factors with the scheme. The harm to the green belt, however, must be afforded substantial weight in the assessment and the harm arising from the development is not clearly outweighed by very special circumstances.

“In addition, the proposed development may pose an unacceptable risk of causing a detrimental impact to the water environment as the application has failed to indicate the adequacy of foul drainage disposal and is also not supported by a Drainage Strategy.”