A farm business near Farnsfield in Nottinghamshire has submitted plans to develop a glamping site with holiday cabins, underground-style accommodation units, and saunas as part of efforts to diversify its rural operations.
Tania Taylor, of FRW Taylor and Troyal Farm, has applied to Newark and Sherwood District Council for permission to build 15 holiday accommodation units on agricultural land at the Forest Farm site on Mansfield Road, located on the outskirts of Farnsfield.
Planning documents filed with the council state the proposed development is intended to support tourism in the region by creating a base for visitors traveling to attractions and events across Nottinghamshire.
According to the application documents: “Nottinghamshire hosts a varied programme of cultural, food and heritage events throughout the year, many of which take place within easy travelling distance of the proposed site and generate increased demand for short-term visitor accommodation.”
The proposal includes seven one-bedroom in-ground “burrowed” units, two two-bedroom family cabins, and six one-bedroom cabins. The units would be arranged in a feathered layout connected by a central pathway and accessed through a track that had previously received approval.
Plans also include three saunas and a reception building across approximately 1.43 hectares of farmland that has historically been used for crop production. The reception structure would feature black vertical timber cladding and a flat roof, while the cabins and sauna buildings would use black or brown timber shingles combined with glazed elements.
The underground-style units are designed to appear as grass-covered mounds integrated into the surrounding landscape.
Each accommodation unit would include a small decked outdoor area. Supporting infrastructure would include buried water and drainage connections, permeable parking surfaces, and screw pile foundations intended to reduce the project’s long-term physical impact on the site.
Application documents state the proposal is “intended to be as low-impact as possible, requiring only a buried water and drainage connection, permeable car parking area and screw pile foundation as permanent development.” Parking for up to 20 vehicles would be provided within the adjacent farmyard.
The business anticipates the development could create one full-time position and two part-time roles covering site management, housekeeping, and related services. Documents also indicate the units could command nightly rates exceeding £100 per stay.
For outdoor hospitality and glamping operators, the proposal reflects a continuing trend among rural landowners seeking to diversify agricultural income through low-density tourism accommodation.
The inclusion of wellness-focused amenities such as saunas also aligns with broader consumer demand for experience-based stays and nature-oriented travel.
Industry professionals monitoring planning activity may note the emphasis placed on low-impact construction methods and integration with regional tourism strategies, which are increasingly common themes in rural hospitality applications across the UK.A final decision on the application will be made by the district council at a later date, according to Newark Advertiser.