Open Air Business January 2018

GLAMPSITES
Professional
Services Advice
Advice from professional service suppliers to glampsites
Advice from: James
Whilding, rural planning
director, Acorus
Specialism: Rural planning
Contact: 01392 873900 /
james.whilding@acorus.co.uk
What is the planning climate like for
landowners looking to diversify into
glamping?
National Planning Policy seeks to ensure that
the planning system provides sustainable
development, incorporating three
dimensions: an economic role, a social role
and an environmental role. Diversification of
land and buildings continues to be popular
with many landowners, even at a time
of uncertainty over Brexit, in generating
additional income streams and enhancing
asset values.
Proposals which can be shown to
be contributing to the achievement
of sustainable development should
be considered favourably, however it
is important to consider the planning
implications very early in the thought
process as having the right site is key.
Consideration must be given to any local
planning policy that applies, impact of
designated areas such as National Parks,
and other environmental issues. Despite
being a niche market, glamping continues
to be popular, and could be a suitable land
use and diversification option for many
landowners.
More and more glampsites are wanting
to offer unique structures, how can your
architectural and planning departments
help?
Our business is principally concerned with
advising and assisting clients with land use
considerations primarily in rural areas where
development is in many cases restricted.
In most cases diversification requires
planning consent and this in turn requires
both planning and design elements to be
considered. Regardless of planning consent,
design advice can assist in the production
of schematics to develop a project, for
budgeting or at the build stage and the
setting out of a scheme.
There are a huge number of options
available from the sublime to the ridiculous.
Acorus has dealt with a great range of
glamping cases including camping and
caravan sites, log cabins, yurts, geodesic
domes and shepherd huts. It is important
for proposals to be designed properly,
and in some cases specialist input from
structural engineers, for example, may also
be required.
How can you help a landowner wanting to
diversify or an existing glampsite wanting
to expand?
Whether a new or existing glamping
provider we have a range of services
available to our clients including initial
planning advice and the gathering of
a brief, designing buildings and other
structures, obtaining planning permission
and overseeing construction. We can tailor
a package to meet an individual client’s
needs.
Please mention a case study
We gained planning approval for 12
geodesic domes for a client in Devon.
The development site was in a parcel of
woodland on a working farm, so it was
perfect for a restful holiday making the most
of the countryside surroundings. The client
requested a specialist architect to design
the dome structures and Acorus submitted
a planning statement, design and access
statement and planning drawings for the
application. During the planning process
issues concerning the impact these unique
structures may have had on trees and other
ecological features had to be considered, as
well as ensuring suitable and safe access.
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