Pods, huts and yurts: Rural diversification and tourism

Staycations have been the main way for many of us in the UK to grab a holiday this summer. There has been a substantial increase in demand for bookings at Bed and Breakfasts, hotels, apartments, cottages, camping sites and glamping sites. Reports suggest that there is still a very significant proportion of the population who will continue to holiday in the UK over the next few years until the worldwide pandemic subsides.

This provides an opportunity to take advantage of this boom and provide places for people to stay for landowners and property owners, who may look to develop holiday lets and farms, who may be able to diversify their land.

We are supporting several landowners with the planning issues around their tourism plans including the erection of glamping pods and barn conversions and have a wealth of experience in this area.

Securing planning permission takes time. Projects like these (based on our experience) normally take in the region of 3-6 months and whilst many Councils support the provision of new tourism developments in principle, there are often complex technical considerations. These can significantly delay an application if they are not identified and dealt with early on.

Therefore, with the summer now coming to an end and Autumn and Winter beginning to settle in (nothing like a cold/wet British winter!), now is a great time to be looking at securing the necessary planning consents ready to hit the ground running for next spring and summer.

Contact Chris for a commitment and cost free chat about your options on 01242 895008

Chris.moore@mplanning.co.uk