Scarborough holiday home owners win appeal to stay open

A couple have won an appeal to keep a shepherd’s hut holiday home open in Snainton.
Owners of The Brae in Snainton have won an appeal, meaning they can stay open.Owners of The Brae in Snainton have won an appeal, meaning they can stay open.
Owners of The Brae in Snainton have won an appeal, meaning they can stay open.

Earlier this year, Scarborough Borough Council told the owners of The Brae, Snainton that they had to shut their shepherd’s hut after they put in for planning permission to turn it into holiday accommodation.

Paula and Martyn Goodrick, owners of the shepherd’s hut, appealed the decision and have won, meaning that they can keep the hut open.

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Paula Goodrick said: “It’s been very stressful, very unfair actually but we’ve done everything and more that the council have asked us to do.”

“We have had tremendous support from the local community. We feel now, since the appeal was allowed, we feel as though we’ve been validated and it’s been recognised. It’s a really nice feeling. We’re really, really happy.”

The couple received help from a third party to help them do the required work to put in an appeal.

Improvements include better access to the driveway, such as cameras, new lighting and signage.

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A planning inspector then came to look at the work the couple had done to give better access to the shepherd’s hut and the appeal was overturned.

The shepherd's hut was initially built in their garden for friends and family to use, but became a source of income after Martyn became seriously ill.

Since 2018, the hut has become an award-winning home, beating 35,000 other properties to win a Sykes Cottages Silver Best for Romance Award.

It also became a romantic getaway with young couples getting engaged there.

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Paula added: “We all need every bit of positivity we can get in life, because it’s tough. As soon as we started with the shepherd’s hut, it was exciting and we had positive experiences with it so it was lovely.”