Six-year wrangle over 'eco' pods at top Lancashire wedding venue is finally resolved

One of Lancashire’s most popular wedding venues has secured planning permission for 15 ‘eco’ lodges - six years after work first began.

What’s happened?

Planning permission for the lodges on land 150m north west of Eaves Hall in West Bradford, near Clitheroe, was initially given in 2020 - with the intention they would be used as additional accomodation for guests.

Soon afterwards, venue bosses said a “significant start” was made to install an access road and bases for seven of the lodges, as well as the supply and placement of five lodges. However, the lodges were different from those granted approval because the company supplying the original designs had gone into administration - and the works were done without discharging the pre-commencement conditions.

In 2023, a new application was granted, to vary the original permission, as well as agreement on an alternative lodge type. Within the conditions was a requirement that works had to recommence before November 25, 2023.

Late last year, Eaves Hall submitted documentation including aerial photographs, showing what they said was the removal of non-compliant lodges and highway works, completed before the deadline.

But planning officers diagreed that this related to the 2023 application and refused a Certificate of Lawfulness.

Venue bosses decided to go back to square one and resubmitted the previously approved 2020 application, varied in 2023.

Objections were received from two households concerning the impact of the proposed lodges upon residential amenity and the impact of the proposal upon the ecology of the area.

No objections were raised by statutory consultees.

Decision

Ribble Valley Borough Council planning bosses have now approved the plans. A report issued ahead of the decision said that the provision of tourist accommodation at the application site met with requirments of key policies and: “It is not considered that the proposed development would be unduly harmful to the amenity of any neighbouring residents, nor is it considered that the development proposed would be harmful to the visual amenities of the area or setting of the Grade II Listed Building Eaves Hall. Furthermore, no concerns are raised with respect to impacts upon highway safety, the ecology of the area or flood risk.”

The development must be begin within three years.

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