A glamping site owner has submitted a planning application to convert a disused agricultural storage building into a home at Big Sky Brisley, a tourism site at Brisley Hall Farm near Dereham, Norfolk.
Sally Whales is seeking permission from Breckland Council to create a permanent residence on the farm, where she operates a glamping accommodation and Certificated Location (CL) campsite. The proposal would also introduce a new toilet cabin to serve the existing tourism operation.
The proposed home would include a hall, kitchen, dining room and living room, with one bedroom on the ground floor. Three additional bedrooms and an en-suite bathroom are planned for the first floor.
In a personal statement submitted with the application, Whales said living at the site would make it easier to manage the accommodation and campsite and respond to guest arrivals.
“Living on the site would significantly improve the day-to-day management of my glamping accommodation and Certificated Location (CL) campsite.
“Guests are asked to provide an estimated arrival time and to telephone approximately 30 minutes before arriving; however, in practice many arrive unexpectedly throughout the day and evening, often later than anticipated.
“Being resident on the site would enable me to provide a prompt and efficient welcome, rather than travelling from my current home where I have neither direct access to, when livestock are grazing the fields, nor clear visibility of the site”.
Whales also said that living on the property would improve security and customer service while supporting the long-term viability of both the farm and the tourism business.
Big Sky Brisley currently offers The Huddle, a bespoke glamping shepherd’s hut, alongside pitches for up to five caravans or motorhomes. The site has also received industry recognition, including a five-star VisitEngland rating for its glamping accommodation and a gold award from Green Tourism.
For outdoor hospitality operators, the application highlights a practical consideration associated with running accommodation on agricultural land: the relationship between an operator’s residence and the day-to-day requirements of a tourism business. Guest arrivals, site security, livestock management and the ability to respond to issues outside normal operating hours can all influence how an owner manages a small rural property. However, proposals to introduce residential accommodation on working farms remain subject to local planning policies and the circumstances of each site.
The application is listed under planning reference PL/2026/1089/FMIN. Breckland Council is expected to determine the proposal at a later date, according to Dereham Times.
The outcome could determine whether the existing agricultural building can be repurposed as an on-site residence while the glamping and camping uses continue at the farm.