Flintshire glamping plans refused by 'shocked' councillors

An application was submitted in October 2023 to install five wooden glamping pods and five tent pitches on land near Bryn Morgan House in Northop.

The proposals put forward by Darren and Kelly Skillin would also have seen an amenity building with showers, toilets and washing facilities built at the site on Starkey Lane.

The scheme was recommended for approval by a senior official from Flintshire Council ahead of a planning committee meeting last week.

However, councillors raised concerns after visiting the site and discovering work had already been carried out to remove topsoil and vegetation.

They said large amounts of rubble had also been left on the field and a pond had been filled in.

A recent picture of the proposed site (Image: Flintshire Council)

Speaking at the planning meeting at County Hall in Mold, local councillor Marion Bateman said: “I was shocked to see the amount of work that had been done without any permission.

“All the topsoil, subsoil, clay and shrubbery had been stripped and taken from the site.

“Drainage had been installed, although it couldn't be seen as the entire area had been covered with tonnes and tonnes of rubble, which we're told is inert builders’ rubble. There was not a blade of grass to be seen.

“There are no conditions that can restore this land. It's been changed beyond all recognition.

“The relaxed tourism planning policies are being abused and this authority has been totally disregarded.”

Agents acting for the applicants said the proposed accommodation, known as "The Little Bitty Farm," would be targeted towards tourists visiting the area for short breaks and weekend stays.

Flintshire's chief planning officer, Andrew Farrow, said it would be beneficial for the area's economy.

Officials also said the restoration of the site's natural habitat could be secured through planning conditions.

How the applicants said the site would look in future (Image: Planning document)

A statement by Mr and Mrs Skillin was read out at last Wednesday's (July 17, 2024) meeting, which said: “The Little Bitty Farm is a fusion of traditional camping and luxury tourist accommodation, providing a wellness retreat and a small farm animal experience.

“Our aim is to set up a family-run business to provide our own income, with local employment opportunities and local business promotion to encourage tourism and provide a unique experience to heighten the available accommodation on offer.

“It was noted that campsites and glamping facilities are very sparse, and indeed, we couldn't find any in the area.

“Having family who live here, we visited the area regularly with our own camping unit and this struggle highlighted the need to develop a provision for the area.”

Several councillors expressed their concerns at the meeting regarding the work already completed.

Buckley Pentrobin councillor Mike Peers said he was unhappy with the volume of rubble left behind.

He said: “The site visit was a complete shock to me. Having read the report before the meeting, and then going on the bus, I thought we were going to see a nice green field.

“What we actually saw was an unauthorised waste tip. It was absolutely appalling and it's not much better now, I understand.

“There must be hundreds, if not thousands, of tonnes of material on this site.

“When we were there, we saw plastics and ceramic tiles, so it's not just builders’ rubble.”

Committee members were told council enforcement officers had previously visited the site to look into the issue.

Officials said the work already completed fell under "permitted development" and the case was later closed.

Cllr Chris Bithell, cabinet member for planning, said despite having issues with the proposals, he could not see any grounds to refuse them.

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But Buckley Bistre East councillor Richard Jones said: “This was an area in the field that contained shrubbery and a pond for God's sake.

“It has now been stripped from the landscape, they’ve filled in the pond and completely erased it from the site.

“You can't get worse than that. That's not looking after our environment, and it certainly doesn't put it right by building something extra on top of that.”

Meanwhile, Cllr Adele Davies-Cooke said the habitat had been "completely and utterly destroyed.".

The proposals were refused by ten votes to one at the end of the debate, with two abstentions.