'Party house' holiday cabin plans near Alton Towers refused
Councillors have voted the plans in Dimmingsdale down
Last updated 27th May 2024
Plans for two new holiday cabins branded ‘party houses’ by campaigners, near Alton Towers, have been refused by councillors. Concerns over the destruction of ancient woodland along with impacts on residents won out over the need for tourism accommodation.
Applicant Leon Mailey wanted to build two one-bedroom log cabins next to the existing Alton Forest Lodge at Dimmingsdale. It was argued that the new cabins would meet the demand that is currently in place.
The plans saw objections from Alton and Oakamoor parish councils, Churnet Valley Conservation Society and a number of residents. However planning officers at Staffordshire Moorlands District Council recommended that the plans be approved.
John Higgins told councillors: “Let’s be quite honest this proposal has taken three and half years to come before you there’s got to be more to it than that and actually there is, quite a lot more. The existing accommodation and here’s the rub, is no normal accommodation.
“Unlike the former youth hostel it has now become a party house and you are now being asked to increase the size of this party house. The planning officer says the log cabins won’t make much of an impact, I don’t suppose they will, it’s got nothing to do with log cabins, it’s the people inside them that will do the damage.
“They are not country lovers, they are here to have a good time and to make loads of noise and after they’ve finished partying they’ll get on their mountain bikes and go and trash the ancient woodland.”
Also objecting to the development was Diana Gardner, who commented: “The planning officer is asking you to compare the behaviour of people who use the old basic youth hostel to the party animals who book Alton Forest Lodge. There is no comparison, there is already evidence of the loss of amenity suffered by neighbours, also litter, noise, anti-social behaviour, disturbance of wildlife, destruction of habitats and damage to protected woodland.”
However, Jon Imber, planning agent told the planning committee: “During the application process we have worked closely with the planning department, amending the scheme to address issues raised by consultees. The existing holiday accommodation on the site has proven very popular and the proposals seek to cater for demand that is currently going unmet.
“The applicants are well aware that the natural environment and tranquillity of this location are key to the success of the enterprise and it is in their best interests to preserve them. The proposals would involve a minimal increase in vehicle movements with parking provision being catered for onsite and the cabins are remote from residential properties and will not cause any unacceptable impacts in terms of privacy, noise or disturbance.”
Many councillors raised concerns over the potential development, with many saying it is contrary to planning regulations. The need to protect the ancient woodland, inline with the comments made by statutory consultees.
Councillor Jonathan Kempster said: “I support the need for sustainable tourism within the Staffordshire Moorlands and now how much we need to grow it. However, there are a number of reasons why I’m concerned, the development is within open countryside, it also joins ancient and semi- ancient woodland.”
Councillor Keith Flunder said that many of the objections and concerns related to people’s behaviour which isn’t a planning matter. He commented: “The cabins themselves if they were anywhere else and without the information from the speakers today I don’t think we’d have a leg to stand on. I think what we’re talking about is people’s behaviour and how they treat the resource that we have an awful lot of in the Moorlands.”