ADVICE on possible proposals for new holiday cottages and caravan sites was among the most popular requests made to county planners by people in the dale last year.
A freedom of information (FOI) request by the Teesdale Mercury shows that pre-application advice was sought about potential tourism developments at eight sites in area.
Barnard Castle Caravan Club sought advice on putting up 16 new accommodation units and 18 new pitches at its site along Lartington Lane in January last year, while the owners of West Nettlepot, in Lunedale, enquired about installing glamping pods in April.
Two queries were made to planners about caravan site exemptions at Ivy Hall Farm, in Bowes, and Sandbed Farm, in Ramshaw.
In May, advice was sought about putting up six timber caravans to be used as holiday lets on land at East Rowntree Farm, in Hamsterley. The plan also included replacing a barn with a stable block for horses.
In the same month an enquiry was made to change the use of an annex at Hauxwell Farm, in Marwood, to a holiday cottage.
The owners of Manor Stables, along the Staindrop Road, at West Auckland, asked for advice on converting a stable block into six self-contained units for people seeking respite, or as a B&B.
The developers also asked about building a conservatory and summerhouse at the site.
Prior to selling their property, the owners of Jersey Farm were considering developing a caravan park, the FOI revealed.
The had enquired about developing two grazing fields to the north of the property for touring and static caravans as well as lodges.
Initially there would have been 12 static caravans and 12 pitches for touring caravans.
However, the hotel has been sold and the new owners are developing their own plans to turn the complex into a high-end wedding venue.
The trend continued into this year with the owners of Alwent Hall, along the Winston Road at Staindrop, asking for advice on converting farm buildings into three holiday cottages in January.
![A COUNTY councillor is backing a campaign to get a pedestrian crossing in Staindrop. Frustrated parish councillors in the village summoned their county council representative Cllr George Richardson to their latest meeting to discuss several issues, including the call for a safe way to cross the A688. Earlier this year their request for a crossing was turned down by the county council’s highways officers. Parish council chairman Jonothan Raper described the reasons for the refusal as “spurious” and called on Cllr Richardson to support their campaign. He added: “One of the arguments they made was there is no clear line of desire when they studied the village – well this isn’t a clear line of desire because there isn’t a crossing, people cross whenever they can. “When the lollipop person was there, one of the things I noticed was people would walk all the way down to the lollipop person to cross the road to go to the shop or to go to the school.” He added a problem of parking at the primary school is exacerbated because people are too afraid to walk their children across the road. Cllr Richardson said he had supported previous attempts for a crossing point with the first being made about 15 years ago. He added: “We went fairly well down the road with that and they looked into it. The only recommended place was where the bus stop is and to get the visibility splays, people on the other side of the road would lose their parking. “That didn’t go down well so it just died a death.” Cllr Raper said he suspected the real reason for the officers’ refusal was the cost of installing a crossing. He added that much of the cost could be recovered from savings made on not having to employ a lollipop patrol. Cllr Raper said: “A lollipop person only provides a benefit of crossing for three hours of the day. You are getting 21 extra hours of crossing time [with a pedestrian crossing].” Cllr Richardson said he would raise the issue with the county council’s cabinet member for highways, Cllr John Shuttleworth.](https://teesdalemercury.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/georgeR-120x86.jpg)
