Proposed 'shepherd huts' rural holiday lets in village near Morpeth rejected by council planning officers as 'incongruous'

The proposal for a former horse exercise yard at Netherton Park stables, near Stannington, was refused earlier this month.

According to the planning officer’s report, the proposal is “unacceptable and unjustified” use of open countryside land and “inappropriate” Green Belt development.

The report said: “Very special circumstances have not been demonstrated that would outweigh the level of harm to the Green Belt.

“The proposals will form incongruous additions in this part of the open countryside, which are not appropriate in terms of scale or massing and nor do they cumulatively, positively contribute to the local character and distinctiveness of the area, resulting in an urbanising effect of a rural environment.

“Further documents have not been submitted to satisfy the outstanding requirements of the Highways Development Management Team which are considered necessary to fully assess the acceptability of the proposal in highway safety terms.”