The unlikely corner of Greater Manchester that could soon become a holiday hotspot

This is the vision of business owners Joanne Marshall and Andrew Toon for a small plot of land on the border of Oldham and Rochdale, just southwest of Bentgate Road in Newhey.

Plans for six ‘glamping pods’ nestled into a field on the western bank of a fishing lake have been approved by Oldham Council – and could bring a tourism boost to the area, according to a planning report.  

The huts will be less than half an hour drive from Manchester City Centre, near Junction 21 of the M62, and will be walkable from Newhey tram stop. The site is situated close to Ellenroad Farm, on greenbelt land currently used for ‘recreational uses’ including fishing, grazing horses and a clay shooting club. 

The timber frame cabins which overlook the valley towards the river Beal will each feature en-suite bathroom facilities, a dining area and kitchenette. Outside, a timber deck will host a hot tub and sitting area. 

The plans are technically ‘an inappropriate development in the Green Belt’, according to a report penned by planning officer Matthew Taylor. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is supposed to protect the countryside from ‘harmful development’ and has strict guidelines for building on green belt.  But Taylor suggested there were ‘very special circumstances’ which excluded the project from the rule. Because the development could contribute to local businesses and leisure centres, the benefits ‘outweigh the harm on the openness of the greenbelt’, Taylor argued. 

The glamping site will be the only one of its kind in the area. The only other holiday stay nearby is a Premier Inn on Newhey Road. 

And visitors are likely to use the nearby riding, shooting and fishing facilities and venture into Newhey village where there are pubs, cafes and locally run shops or further in Milnrow. They would support ‘the retention and development of accessible local services and community facilities’ with ‘sustainable rural tourism’, according to the report. 

Because of the layout of the landscape, the harm on the openness of the greenbelt would also be limited to ‘short range’ views. The application received no objections from the nearest residents – who are located more than 125 metres from the site – or from parish and local councils in Oldham and Rochdale. 

The developers will have to start building the huts within the next three years and will be subject to certain conditions. For example, the huts will only be used for holiday purposes.  They’ll also need to be built with an eight metre buffer between the river and the huts in order to protect local wildlife.