Derbyshire glamping site get green light after owners drop underground Hobbit burrow plan

Plans for the glamping accommodation were approved at a Derbyshire Dales District Council meeting for a site at Horsley House Farm in Bradbourne.

This was against the recommendation of council officers, who felt the scheme should be rejected due to a perceived lack of sustainability based on its isolated location.

The scheme, submitted by Brewer and Saunders, would see the new accommodation located a couple of miles from Carsington Water, yards from a public footpath and with a free bus agreement with Ashbourne Connect to shuttle guests.

This comes two years after a scheme for eight glamping accommodation units, including a Hobbit burrow built into the hillside, was rejected.

The reduced scheme no longer includes a Hobbit burrow but retains a “pigeon loft”, a yurt and a cabin.

Cllr Janet Rose, local councillor for the area, said in a statement read at the meeting: “The owners have invested in a run-down Grade-II* listed building which prior to their ownership was in a very poor state of repair.

“The business will help support the sustainability of a Grade-11* listed property and will contribute to the wider economy. Surely we should be approving schemes like this rather than see another three cottages converted into holiday accommodation.”

Ben Raynor, agent for the applicant, told the meeting that the scheme has been reduced in size following advice from the previous application.

He said: “Contentious elements such as an underground burrow were removed and measures of obtaining site sustainability have been identified.”

The new scheme is felt to have less of an impact on the countryside, the agent said.

Chris Whitmore, the council’s development manager said it was the view of officers that the site was unsustainable but that councillors were free to come to a different conclusion.

Cllr Neil Buttle said: “I don’t really feel that our definition of sustainability is a good one. It is unsustainable to go on holiday to Ibiza for the weekend, it is not really quite so unsustainable to do a bit of glamping in the Peak District. We may be over-egging our sustainability pudding, if there is such a thing.”