Owner seeks residential status for 20 unsold Leicestershire holiday lodges

The proprietor of 20 holiday lodges in Leicestershire has submitted an application for their conversion to permanent homes. These lodges, located in Medbourne, were constructed after applicant Tom Hartley received planning permission in October 2017. The initial approval for the structures included a condition that they were to be used exclusively for holiday purposes and not as an individual’s “sole or main place of residence”. However, seven years later, with all the holiday accommodations still unsold, Mr. Hartley is now requesting that Harborough District Council permit people to reside in the lodges. According to documents submitted to the council and reviewed by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the lodges at Medbourne Edge off Hallaton Road have undergone “extensive marketing both locally and nationally”. Mr. Hartley is disputing the condition preventing the lodges from being occupied as a person’s “sole or main place of residence”, stating that a similar appeal was granted in Devon. He argued that residential occupation of the lodges would not have a greater impact than their use for holidays. He also noted that the current permission “places no restriction on the length of stay”, meaning individuals could stay for an unlimited duration as long as they maintained another primary residence. A decision on the application is expected by early December.