Cumbria Rural Planning Facilitation Service Case Study: Wasdale Yurt Holidays

Background to business and property

John and Debbie Hughes and their young family moved to Rainors Farm between Gosforth and Nether Wasdale in 2000. John works as Head Chef at The Screes Inn in Nether Wasdale and Rainors Farm is an 18th century Georgian farmhouse that has not been a working farm for many years.

In May 2002, immediately after the Foot and Mouth outbreak, they established a B&B business in their home. The success of Rainors Farm B&B led John and Debbie to explore various options for development of the business but one of the more obvious opportunities hit problems when their application to create a self-catering property at one end of the farmhouse was turned down.

However, they had friends who owned a yurt in the south of England and the idea of erecting a yurt on the farm as an extension to the B&B began to develop.

Contact with CREA Planning Adviser

Debbie and John had previously had support through the Farm Tourism Initiative and they were made aware of CREA’s Rural Planning Facilitation Service through their managing agents. They decided to contact CREA for any help they may be able to give regarding their yurt planning application with the National Park Authority.

John and Debbie met with an adviser, Andrew Willison-Holt, slightly later in the process than usual as their initial planning application had already been submitted just a couple of weeks earlier. However, they received initial feedback from the Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) that raised several issues and required them to submit additional information so the consultation with Andrew enabled them to prepare their case for final submission.

“Andrew’s input was a huge help as he supplied us with extracts from the Local Plan (T17) and Joint Structure Plan (ST7) and copies of specific points so that we had them there in front of us. It meant that we knew exactly what we were dealing with and what we needed to sort out ahead of the decision on the yurt.” John Hughes

Outcomes from RPFS process

The key issues facing Wasdale Yurt Holidays were:

• change of land use (from agricultural)
• visibility of the yurt from the nearby road and surrounding countryside and
• impact on the environment from drainage or pollution and noise.

The shower room and toilet facilities for the yurt visitors were created using the farm’s original outbuilding toilet.

The visibility issue was the main challenge and one solution would have been a temporary agreement and then a review of the decision. However, an alternative compromise was agreed with the LDNPA where the yurt is only in place and available from 21 March through to 31 October each year. John and Debbie have also supplemented the hedgerows between the yurt and the road to thicken the screening.

“It is a shame that we can’t offer the yurt for Christmas, New Year and Valentine’s Day but agreeing to remove the yurt during the winter months when there is less natural screening meant that we got the planning approval in September 2006 and we were open for business by Easter 2007.” Debbie Hughes

Impact and broader benefits

The creation of an extra family-sized room in the yurt has enabled the Hughes to develop their B&B business significantly.

“Demand for the yurt has exceeded all our expectations and the children’s friends and our neighbours have been intrigued by it too. There are only a few days between Easter and September 2008 when it is not booked and we never expected it would work so well so soon.”
Debbie Hughes

The additional holiday accommodation has also had other local benefits as the Hughes do not provide evening meals so their visitors are either eating in local pubs or restaurants or buying local produce for barbecues.

“We have also found that people tend to book the yurt for a week rather than just staying in the B&B for a couple of days so they are also exploring the West Lakes area more and, we assume, contributing to the local economy.”
John Hughes

The plus side of the yurt being sited in the paddock overlooking Scafell Pike, surrounding fells and beautiful scenery is certainly appreciated by visitors:

"It's so peaceful and beautiful and cosy and warm! I'm an enthusiastic "yurter" already!" CM
"It was a wonderful atmosphere when I woke up as I could hear the birds singing. It's a cosy place and I feel so snug in my bed at night. I would definitely come back again next year if I could.” AM
"It was totally wicked!!! We've had a great time and would all have liked to have stayed longer.” The T family

Wasdale Yurt Holidays www.rainorsfarm.co.uk