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Plans for Hartpury holiday lodges raise flood fears

LDRS Watersmeet pub in HartpuryLDRS
The new lake and cabins would be built alongside this pub in Hartpury near Gloucester

A holiday village development around a new fishing lake in Hartpury near Gloucester could lead to flooding according to planners.

Tom Ring from the Watersmeet Country Inn wants to build 12 log cabins, camping pods and tents around a new fishing lake.

Hartpury Parish Council agreed with the scheme in principle.

But district council planners say it is "clearly" contrary to the development plan.

Consultants working on the scheme describe the extension to the existing Watersmeet bar and accommodation as a "sustainable development" which "benefits the applicants as well as the wider rural economy".

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service Hartpury Parish Council said they were happy with the scheme in principle.

They want reassurances that any excess soil would be removed from the site to prevent flooding.

But planners at Forest of Dean Council have rejected the scheme due to flood risk, with the potential of surface water flooding making the scheme "unacceptable".

They have raised concerns that storm sewage outfalls would contaminate the watercourses.

The owners of two homes nearby have objected over fears the holiday scheme increases the risk of flooding to them.

LDRS Small fishing lake at WatersmeetLDRS
The existing fishing pond to the north of the hotel will be reduced in size as part of the scheme

Consultants for the scheme want to plant trees and hedges as part of the development.

They say that would improve privacy for holiday makers, and improve biodiversity at the site five miles north of Gloucester.

Forest of Dean councillors will consider the plans at a meeting on Tuesday.

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