Black Hall Holiday Park near Knighton has received planning permission to add six new shepherd’s huts as part of its accommodation offering. The park, which has operated for more than 20 years, originally developed from a working farm into a holiday park featuring Canadian log homes and more recent couples-only lodges.
Owned by Andrew and Mrs Beavan, Black Hall is located at Llanfair Waterdine in Shropshire. The first phase of development included six log cabins, a project Andrew Beavan described as essential for generating an income outside agriculture:
“We were also looking for a diversified income separate from agriculture to help support our 5 children. Farming in this area was devastated in 2001 by the foot and mouth outbreak. I had for some years been interested in building a Log Cabin. This was crucial to our ability to finance the first phase to build 6 log cabins.”
The newly approved shepherd’s huts will be prefabricated off-site by KO Carpentry of Newtown and positioned on agricultural land between the original log homes and newer lodges.
According to Powys County Times, each hut will be self-contained, including a bathroom, bedroom, and kitchen facilities, with parking available directly outside the unit. The huts will connect to the existing foul drainage system serving the wider Black Hall site.
Shropshire Council granted full planning permission with conditions, including that development must begin within three years, be carried out according to approved plans, and be limited to six units on the specified land.
Additional conditions require that a travel information pack be prepared in coordination with the council to manage visitor traffic, specifying preferred routes and arrival times.
The planning approval also stipulates that the units remain for holiday use only, with a register of guests’ main addresses maintained. Supervision and management will continue from the existing Black Hall dwelling, which must remain tied to the holiday enterprise.
The addition of shepherd’s huts expands Black Hall’s accommodation types, providing further options for visitors and supporting the local rural economy.
For professionals in the outdoor hospitality sector, this case highlights the importance of diversifying accommodation offerings and aligning development with local planning and traffic management requirements.