Greengage Meadows Limited has submitted a planning application to Amber Valley Borough Council for six shepherd hut glamping units in the Derbyshire countryside.
The proposal, lodged in late 2024, seeks permission to develop a small field at the corner of Plaistow Green and Mooredge Road, just north of Crich, as part of a wider effort to diversify a local farming business. The council is expected to make a decision in the coming months.
According to the documents filed with the application, the project involves converting an underused agricultural field for visitor accommodation. Each unit would be a two-person shepherd hut constructed primarily from timber and corrugated sheet metal.
White Peak Design and Build Limited, a nearby firm, is slated to design and build the structures. The applicants state that the overall aim is to establish “high-end holiday shepherd hut accommodation,” with each hut individually furnished to provide varied options for guests.
The supporting documents emphasize that the location and layout were selected to protect local character. “The site has been carefully selected as to not detract from the visual or rural character of the surroundings. The six holiday shepherd huts are sensitively positioned and are of a scale and form that reflects the location,” the submission notes.
According to the DerbyshireLive, the plans also indicate that the scheme would use an existing vehicle access point and an area of hardstanding already in place near the farmhouse, where the applicant resides.
The applicant argues that the project represents a modest but meaningful diversification strategy for the farm. “The proposals are the change of use of a small underused agricultural field and installation of six shepherd huts, and therefore is a form of diversification of the farm business within the existing farm,” the documents state.
They also say the development would create four part-time jobs and contribute to the “prosperous rural economy” through both employment and increased visitor spending in the area.
The application highlights Crich’s appeal for domestic tourism, noting that the site offers views of Crich village and Crich Stand and sits within reach of shops, services, and visitor attractions. The proposed units are intended to provide a “unique form of holiday accommodation” in a region that already attracts significant visitor interest.
For operators in the outdoor hospitality sector, the application reflects several industry trends that have gained momentum since the pandemic: small-scale diversification on working farms, the continued popularity of self-contained glamping accommodation, and strategic use of existing infrastructure to minimize environmental and visual impacts during development.
The proposal also demonstrates how rural operators are pairing modest accommodation footprints with premium positioning and upgraded furnishings to capture higher-yield guests while keeping operational overheads manageable.
Amber Valley Borough Council’s decision, expected in early 2025, will determine whether the project can move forward ahead of the next peak holiday season.