THE decision to refuse an application to extend a popular Lake District holiday park has been overturned after an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate.

Low Briery Holiday Village in Keswick has been granted permission to extend its park by 22 lodges, despite the plans being rejected by the Lake District National Park Authority in May 2023.

The LDNPA refused the plan on the grounds that it would have an adverse effect on the 'beauty and harmony of the landscape' and the loss of 'agro-pastoral character of the area'.

The proposal to extend the park was supported by Keswick Town Council.

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In regard to the impact on the beauty of the national park, the appeal decision report said: "The proposal would relate very well to the existing holiday park and the railway line by virtue of its positioning, means of access, layout, lodge format and existing landscaping.

"Furthermore, the proposed materials would be visually recessive."

It said that this would be secured by landscaping conditions attached to the approval, which would mitigate the visual impact of the development over time.

It said: "By virtue of its nature and location, the appeal proposal would contribute positively as it would reflect the long tradition of tourism on land close to Keswick.

"I observed that the busy A66 road corridor already affects the quiet enjoyment of the appeal site as part of the countryside.

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"As such, the appeal scheme would conserve the extraordinary harmony and beauty of the Lake District landscape."

The report also addresses the impact of the potential works on the 'agro-pastoral' nature of the area.

It says: "It is evident that the tradition of farming with grazing on in-bye, in-take and out-gangs to the open fell and commons is intact to the south of the A66 which enables this traditional land management pattern to be maintained.

"However, crucially the appeal site has become an isolated parcel of land abutting the wooded Greta Valley as a result of the development of the A66.

"Rather, it now relates more closely with the wooded River Greta / A66 corridor and is associated with land that has a long tradition of tourism in close vicinity to Keswick."

The inspector concluded: "In the absence of conflict with the development plan as a whole, the appeal should be allowed."