We’re taking a look at a plot of land to purchase and want to begin a glamping enterprise on it.
My understanding is that should you erect momentary cotton bell tents for not than 56 days of the 12 months, with momentary washroom services, you’ll be able to set up a glamping web site with out planning permission.
Nevertheless, we’d ideally wish to implement a mix of cotton bell tents and grass high eco pods, which I consider could be thought of everlasting or semi-permanent.
Our plans are modest, aiming for 12 tents and pods most and we purpose to implement wildlife pleasant habitats, along with tree planting and an space devoted to wildflower development. Will we’d like planning permission, and can we get it?
The planning system is usually hostile to new growth within the countryside, however glamping websites don’t concrete over inexperienced fields the best way housing estates or new resorts do – they’re comparatively small scale and low influence. So, do they want planning permission in any respect? KT
Glamping websites are comparatively small scale and low influence when it comes to growing land, however should want planning permission
MailOnline Property professional Myra Butterworth replies: Vacation lets may be huge enterprise and the price of staying in a glamping tent or hut is commonly up there with lodge room costs. It is no marvel they’re usually perceived as a licence to print cash.
However there are many hurdles to beat earlier than you even welcome any prospects on web site. These included potential planning points.
One choice to make issues easier is to make use of momentary constructions resembling yurts or tents – though your neighbours could have objections to dozens of those showing within the discipline subsequent to their houses.
We communicate to an skilled city planner about establishing a glamping enterprise and the planning permissions chances are you’ll require.
Martin Gaine, a chartered city planner, replies: As with so many planning questions, the reply is: most likely.
You do not want planning permission for momentary constructions. Yurts, tents and the like are movable (you may take them down when the season is over) and doubtless qualify as momentary. Nevertheless, except you might be providing your company a really rustic expertise, it’s probably your web site will want different, extra everlasting infrastructure, resembling bases on which the tents sit, utilities (energy, water, sewage, garbage storage) and different services resembling a parking space, reception hut and bathe block. These would require planning permission.
Even should you handle a collection of momentary constructions (resembling transportable loos), they’ll depend as everlasting growth if they’re in place indefinitely.
Vacation lets resembling a glamping enterprise is extensively perceived as a option to print cash
Lastly, when holidaymakers begin having fun with your glamping pods you’ve gotten led to a change in the usage of the land. That change of use requires planning permission if it happens for greater than 28 days a 12 months. You point out a 56-day provision in your question-– that was a covid measure that has since lapsed (reverting to twenty-eight days).
In different phrases, you might be prone to want full planning permission on your glamping enterprise except it is extremely restricted in scale – momentary constructions solely – and is for not more than 28 days a 12 months.
If planning permission is required, what are your possibilities of getting it? That varies a terrific deal from place to position. In some areas they’re very sturdy restrictions on growth in scenic areas, however different native authorities encourage the vacation sector and new rural companies.
Permission is much less probably in an Space of Excellent Pure Magnificence (AONB), a Nationwide Park or the inexperienced belt, however has higher possibilities on an current working farm or on beforehand developed land. Smaller scale proposals with much less everlasting infrastructure will stand a greater probability, as will proposals for websites that will likely be dismantled and largely eliminated off season – the lesser the influence of your proposal on the panorama, the higher. There are different concerns, resembling entry and parking. Converse to a planning guide or your native council planning division for recommendation particular to your scenario and space.
