Plans submitted for holiday village described by objectors as a 'monstrosity'
Dozens of holiday lodges planned for a farm that once starred in a David Attenborough documentary have been labelled a ‘monstrosity’ by residents.
The application, by Brayden Cooper, would see a holiday village, including up to 45 lodges, built on Langborrow Farm, on Launde Road, one-and-a-half miles to the east of Tilton on the Hill.
If approved by Harborough District Council (HDC), plans for the former chicken farm site would also include a gatehouse, bike rental and shop building, a cafe/restaurant as well as indoor and outdoor leisure facilities and a new access from and onto Oakham Road.
The site is no stranger to planning applications, having had several developments put forward by Mr Cooper over the years, including for 90 holiday lodges, 10 homes and 10 commercial units, in addition to the 45 holiday lodge home plans.
The latest development is hugely controversial, with 320 objections being put forward against the plans which are in an area adjacent to a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) – the Tilton Railway Cutting.
This is the place where Sir David Attenborough first discovered his love for natural history, according to the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, while the wider area itself featured in the broadcaster’s 2020 documentary, A Life on our Planet.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), 68-year-old resident Kay Highfield said she planned to speak at the HDC planning committee meeting against the development.
She said: “This would be like Center Parcs on our doorstep. Having said that, although the lodges were reduced, none of the ancillary buildings were reduced.
“So they’ve got more ancillary buildings than Center Parcs have. And some of those, the sizes of those buildings are just enormous. The amount of light pollution that would just come out of the ancillary buildings alone will light up that area like Blackpool illuminations.”
She added: “The reason why we live here is because it’s totally rural, its tranquil. All this will be gone. And there will be huge amounts of traffic.”
Writing in objection on the HDC portal, one resident said: “Since the pre-application consultation, the applicant was advised by officers of HDC to engage with the local population.. but there has been zero engagement in fact there has been animosity towards anyone prepared to speak out against this monstrosity.”
In his application, Mr Cooper notes the external lighting strategy proposed with the plans ‘balances health and safety requirements with the need to protect dark skies and limit light spill’.
He added: “The development is not a high-intensity events venue but a low-density eco resort designed to connect with nature.
"Building layout minimises noise breakout, with operational measures (e.g., limited outdoor activity hours, no amplified music) and licensing controls available to protect amenity and wildlife.”
Leicestershire County Council, acting as the Local Highways Authority, said impacts on highways safety ‘would not be unacceptable’ and that the impacts on the road network ‘would not be severe’ either.
A spokesman for HDC said: “The application is currently being assessed and is expected to be reported to the planning committee as soon as possible.
"However, at this stage, we are not able to confirm the date on which it will be considered.”