Anger over forest holiday park information delays

The applicant says the development will benefit the area, but hundreds have objected

More information is needed to address concerns over a proposed £36m holiday park in a forest, campaigners have said.

Plans by Forestry England, Forest Holidays and Adventure Forest to build 70 cabins, a campsite and a rope course in Hamsterley Forest near Bishop Auckland, County Durham have sparked hundreds of objections.

Durham County Council had asked for more details by 31 July, but confirmed they had not been received. The applicant said it was hoping to "share this additional detail soon".

Andy Richardson, of Hamsterley Forest Action Group, said he was "angry and frustrated" over the delay for more details.

Forestry England said the July date was "a target date rather than a fixed deadline".

A joint statement from the partners involved in the proposals said the planning application was progressing.

"It is normal for additional information to be requested as part of the consultation process and we are currently preparing supplementary detail to address questions raised by statutory consultees," it said.

"We hope to share this additional detail with the county council soon, for further consideration."

The statement added that the applicant was "committed" to advancing the planning application and "confident" it would bring "lasting benefits" to the forest.

'Realistic timescale'

Forest Holidays wants to build cabins on a section of commercial woodland while Forestry England wants to open a camping ground on former farmhouse land, as well as a new visitor centre and car park.

Adventure Forest also plans to open a rope course in a section of Windy Bank Wood.

However, objections, including from the Environment Agency (EA) and Durham Wildlife Trust, have raised pollution and wildlife concerns.

The EA said the development posed risks to water quality due to increased discharge of treated wastewater and that it was incompatible with a flood zone.

The forest action group believes the site would require sewage and electricity infrastructure to be built, meaning boreholes would need to be drilled in the forest.

Mr Richardson said: "We are at the stage now where we are actively saying to the council get rid of it, because it's an inferior application, it doesn't meet the standards."

The forest was created by Forestry England in the 1920s

Stephen Reed, Durham County Council's planning manager, said discussions with the applicant were trying to set "a realistic timescale" that would give everyone "sufficient opportunity" to review any new information before the planning application was considered.

Hamsterley Forest was created by Forestry England in the 1920s and sections are used for lumber production, but the 2,000ha (4,942-acre) forest is also popular with walkers and cyclists.