Five-star Flixton hotel granted permission for countryside holiday huts despite concerns

The installation of two self-contained holiday shepherds’ huts units as well as associated parking will be permitted to proceed following the council’s approval of plans.

The site is located at the rear of the “well-established” Orchard Lodge Hotel located in the centre of Flixton.

The site area is made up of around 1,000 sqm and comprises the existing vehicular access, hotel car park, and the site pitches of grassed area within Orchard Field.

The huts are set to be constructed of green corrugated metal sheeting with timber windows and doors, sitting on cast iron wheels.

Both of the one-bedroom huts will have curved roofs that will also be made of green corrugated metal sheeting.

The structures will have a maximum height of 3.15m and heating will be provided by a log burner with a hedgerow proposed to provide separation between the huts.

The huts are set to be sited on concrete paving slabs under the wheels whilst the remaining area will remain grassed and three units of parking for the units will be located within the existing hotel car park.

No objections to the scheme were raised by Folkton Parish Council, the Highway Authority, or the council’s environmental health team.

However, several members of the public wrote to the council to raise concerns about potential “noise from visitors” and the site’s location.

Concerns were also raised that the development would be “visually intrusive from upstairs windows of a neighbouring property”.

A report by the planning authority states that the plan will deliver a “diversification of existing tourism offer at the site” to meet the needs of the tourism industry and enhancement of facilities.

Planning officers also concluded that as the site is around 50m from North Street, Flixton and is screened by existing landscaping and buildings, there would be “no significant visual impact on the street scene or area in general”.

They also stated that the shepherds’ huts would be “well integrated into the plot and general area”.

The siting of the huts was approved by North Yorkshire Council subject to conditions.