A SADDLEWORTH hotel faces removing shepherds’ huts after planning permission for them was refused, more than two years after they were installed.
The three structures at Grains Bar, on Ripponden Road, are still being marketed on its website.
But after Oldham Council planning chiefs refused the application, two years after it was made, they may now have to be taken out of the garden close to the main building.
That comes despite Saddleworth Parish Council giving its approval in August 2023, with it noting they are temporary structures.
Grains Bar Hotel said they ‘would provide a unique bridal suite experience.’
Planning documents added: “The huts will not only compensate for the three rooms lost for the extension but do so as part of a new “wellness garden” experience.
“The recent main building extension and the shepherd huts, together, represent a substantial investment by Grains Bar Hotel, enhancing not just their own offer but that of the borough as a whole.
“Such investment is adding to Oldham’s hospitality and tourism offer, contributing to this becoming an increasingly attractive place for people from neighbouring boroughs and further afield.”
However, when they were installed, planning permission had not been secured, resulting in the application.
“The applicant had not appreciated that using land within the hotel’s curtilage for siting mobile accommodation of this type requires planning permission,” documents added.
“The application is, therefore, intended both to regularise the current situation and to enable the shepherd huts to be retained on site so that the hotel can continue to offer a facility that is proving to be an attractive addition to its wedding offer, enhancing both pre- and post-wedding bridal facilities.”
A supplementary statement in support highlighted the condition of the former Bull’s Head pub standing close by and the huts’ impact on the local economy.
It states: “The huts are booked most of the time and are very popular for families, leading to increased occupancy rates for the hotel.
“These additional visitors and their spending also contribute to the wider local economy, through spending with other local businesses.
“The popularity of the huts means that the hotel’s kitchen is now busier, with meats, fruits, vegetables etc. being bought locally.
“The shepherd huts themselves were built by a local company, constructed to the highest standard using modern insulation materials.
“Local spending by the staff employed by the hotel contributes to wider local economic activity and well-being.”
But with Grains Bar Hotel being situated in the green belt, it needed to meet the very special circumstances (VSCs) any development must satisfy.
And in a report, planning officers deemed they fell short, despite more comments in support than objections.
They said: “The wheels have been removed, they have been in place and do not appear to be readily moveable.
“Although described as ‘mobile huts’, the structures constitute operational development.
“The huts are not caravans and do not represent a change of use of land alone.
“The proposed huts are not for agriculture or forestry, do not form part of a reuse of
existing buildings, are not limited infilling or redevelopment of previously developed
land and are not ancillary facilities related to outdoor sport or recreation.
“They are therefore considered inappropriate development, which is by definition harmful to the green belt and must be given substantial weight.
“In addition to being inappropriate, the development causes further harm through its
impact on the openness of the green belt.
“While they are low in height and partly screened by boundaries, they are visible from Ripponden Road and adjacent land and introduce built development into an area that previously contained no permanent structures.
“Although two of the huts occupy land where a marquee previously stood, this marquee had no benefit of planning permission and has since been removed.
“The huts now occupy hardstanding that was installed in its place. The existence of that former unauthorised structure does not constitute a fallback position and does not reduce the Green Belt harm caused by the current proposal.
“No compelling evidence has been submitted to demonstrate that the harm caused by the development is clearly outweighed by other considerations.
“It appears that the huts are a response to internal changes at the hotel resulting in fewer bedrooms.
“While the desire to replace lost capacity is understood, this does not amount to very special circumstances.”
Saddleworth Independent has approached Grains Bar Hotel for comment, but at the time of publication no response has been received.
You must be logged in to post a comment.