Fishing lake in Hambleton to become 40 holiday homes

The proposed development at Highfield Farm Fisheries, Gants Lane, Hambleton will mean the site's central lake is filled in and the land used instead as a site for 40 static caravan pitches/ holiday chalets.

Councillors attending Lancashire County Council's Development Control committee were told that the coarse fishing lake, one of three on the site, had been created in 2003 by digging out clay.

Two lakes are to be retained - one for coarse fishing and the other, (north lake), as an environmental asset for wildlife. Three other smaller ponds will also be created.

Before unanimous approval was given to the development it was agreed to limit the times heavy good vehicles can access the site during the construction period.

Cleveleys Coun Andrea Kay stressed such traffic could cause significant delays at peak times along the A585 road, and proposed site access be limited to 10am - 4 pm instead of 8am to 5.30pm.

She noted that she used the road regularly and could already be stuck in traffic for an hour at times. She stressed it was vital to ensure those travelling to work at the coast or children getting to school were not delayed by site traffic.

She was advised by a planning officer not to be too prescriptive as it might be that tighter restrictions could be needed than say 9am - 4pm, which could be stated as a minimum subject to a traffic assessment.

Meanwhile Fylde West Coun Paul Hayhurst raised concerns about the use of such holiday accommodation as permanent homes without payment of Council Tax. Coun Hayhurst said main residences were listed at relatives' homes elsewhere and suggested this was an ongoing issue at sites in Fylde and Wyre and said he wanted to ask:"Whether they'll be holiday accommodation or not?" He said "umpteen sites" had conditions on residency but claimed they were "unenforceable" and added: "These people are basically here for 365 days a year".

Ribble Valley Coun Alan Schofield queried whether the proposed development would comprise caravans, chalets or holiday lodges or a mixture of all three as all three phrases were used in the documents accompanying the application and agenda item.

He said: "They are described as caravans and lodges and even late on on page 89 as chalet units?"

The application details single storey lodge units 12 metres by six metres and .county hall officer Jonathan Haine told him: "We have got a condition that relates to detailed design and materials ... to ensure that design and visual appearance is acceptable."

He said the different descriptions applied to the term caravans as used in the Caravans Site Act.

Coun Schofield also queried whether carp could be transferred from the drained lake to the remaining fishing lake

.He was advised this was not a planning development issue as the carp were not wild species, and the site owner would decide whether to sell on the fish or transfer them to the remaining fishing lake.

A supporting letter on behalf of the applicant was read out to the committee noting that the development would bring nearly £200,000 (GVA) gross value added to the local economy, £350,000 investment in the local construction industry and three to four full time equivalent jobs. There would be increased use of local services, the site would help meet the demand for holiday accommodation, improve the local tourism economy and aid the retention of the existing business.

Coun Kay's amendment, limiting HGV access to 9am to 4pm, subject to a traffic assessment was approved.

Officers had recommended the application for approval subject to conditions relating to design, infill works, landscaping, occupancy controls and ecological work.

Some 10,000 cubic metres of inert infill material will be imported to the site over a one month period.

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