New glamping shepherd huts to be built on rural North Yorkshire site

The self-contained huts, to be located at Owl View, Lingholme Lane, Lebberston, near Scarborough, vary in size with the largest unit measuring 7.2 metres in length and 3.5 metres in height.

Five parking spaces are proposed for each unit with planting to “screen these areas” while the site has mature hedging on its western and southern sides and partly on its eastern side.

The application, submitted by Mr Martin Parker, was approved by Scarborough Council on August 31.

No objections were submitted by members of the public or local organisations, although both the Highway Authority and Network Rail submitted extensive feedback and suggestions for mitigating the impact of the plans on road and rail safety.

The Highway Authority said there are “a number of informal passing places which are not suitable for use all year round” and as such, it recommended that the applicant should “formalise and construct a minimum of two passing places to allow vehicles to safely pass one another.”

Meanwhile, Network Rail raised concerns about a potential impact on the safe use of level crossings that could arise during the construction of the huts.

“The site is near to Lebberston Road level crossing, access to which must remain clear and unrestricted at all times.

“During construction works, it is imperative that associated vehicles are not parked in a way that blocks access to or from the level crossing to ensure that all crossing users can enter and leave the crossing area safely at all times,” said Network Rail.

Planning officers concluded that in light of the location and proposed size and style of the holiday huts, there would be “no unacceptable amenity impacts “ and said they were “considered to be acceptable in this rural area given their close association with the existing group of buildings”.

The plans were approved subject to various conditions including a moratorium on the use of the huts until access to the site “has been set out and constructed in accordance with the Highway Authority’s requirements”.