Boutique hotel plans for farmhouse and barns

Plans have been lodged to turn a dilapidated farmhouse and barns into a boutique hotel in North Yorkshire.

The scheme would see the Grade II listed Manor Farm, near Thirsk, converted into a luxury guest accommodation, with a restaurant, swimming pool and spa.

A total of 15 guest bedrooms have been proposed, as well as six boutique accommodation pods, orchards for fruit and nuts, a parking area and two extensions to outbuildings.

Applicants Letty and William Hunter Bell said the scheme would complement the existing Thirsk Lodge Barns business.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the Thirsk Lodge Barns site was created after being given planning permission in 2019.

Supporting documents state: "Following the success of Thirsk Lodge Barns, where over 200 weddings and events are hosted per year, there is a need to enhance the offering, and provide additional accommodation which would look to cater for the wider wedding party.

"The proposals would also enable a standalone boutique hotel with garden and spa facilities for public use when not in private use for weddings."

Agents for the applicants said the Manor Farm site had "substantial structural defects" and a change in use would facilitate the repair of the listed building for the future.

"The public benefits arising from the proposal clearly outweigh the specific and limited instances of harm identified to the listed building and its traditional farm buildings," they added.

Natural England said it had no objections to the scheme.

North Yorkshire Council's ecology team said there were "quite complex" protected species issues on this site involving bats, badgers, nesting birds and barn owls.

However, they said "clear and comprehensive" mitigation and compensation measures had been put forward.

No date has been set for the full planning and listed building consent application to be considered.

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