Indoor ski slope coming to Wiltshire
Plans for an indoor ski slope and climbing wall have been approved near Warminster.
Wiltshire is set to house its first ski slope as plans for a new facility have been given the go-ahead by Wiltshire Council.
A planning application for an indoor ski slope and climbing wall has been approved for a barn at Bapton Manor Farm in the Wylye Valley, approximately 10 miles outside Warminster.
The ski slope simulator will be 12m x 6.5m in footprint and 5.5m tall and will allow users to benefit from a “continuous skiing experience, rather than having to traverse up and down a slope.”
A maximum of eight visitors will be allowed to use the simulator at one time, with users ranging from experienced skiers to novices.
The application stated: “The barn is surplus to requirements by the farm owners and this new use will bring the building back into a viable and economically sustainable use, whilst also aiding the county’s policies on rural diversification and creating jobs.”
The case officer report noted that the modernising of the agricultural building, removal of asbestos and inclusion of additional solar panels also carried weight in favour of the proposal.
Bapton Manor Farm has been part of Bapton Manor estate since the mid-19th Century, which is home to Grade II listed buildings such as The Old Dairy House and Bryant’s Cottage.