Two parish councils in County Durham have reiterated their opposition to a proposed holiday lodge development in Hamsterley Forest, near Bishop Auckland, arguing that it would place excessive strain on local roads and infrastructure.
Proposal details
The application by Forest Holidays, part of a wider masterplan for the forest, includes 70 holiday cabins, a central hub with a café, restaurant and shop, staff accommodation, and maintenance facilities. The site could accommodate up to 368 guests at full capacity, with an anticipated average annual occupancy of around 90%.
Parish council objections
South Bedburn Parish Council has restated its opposition, claiming that revised plans submitted in March 2026 failed to address concerns raised in January 2025. In its submission to Durham County Council, the council described the proposal as building "a village of a similar population to Hamsterley" in a forest lacking mains water, sewerage, public transport, and suitable roads. It urged planning committee members to visit the site before deciding.
Hamsterley Parish Council also reaffirmed its opposition after reviewing the amended proposal in May. Councillors remain unconvinced by Forestry England's responses to issues raised by villagers and experts. The council highlighted that the C31 road, the main access to Hamsterley, has been closed since January 2023 with no reopening date, forcing traffic onto the C30 and across the historic Linburn Bridge, which it deems unsafe and in need of improvements.
The council noted that the village's main street is already congested and not suited to modern traffic. It warned that the mix of construction workers, holidaymakers, day visitors, Forestry England staff, campers, Go Ape customers, and delivery lorries would make conditions "dangerous and unbearable." The scheme could potentially double the village's population during peak times, the council added.
The council concluded: "The Parish Council does not believe that it has the infrastructure or facilities to sustain this increase, nor should it be expected to do so. As it is, by reason of the anticipated increase in traffic the quality of daily life for the residents of Hamsterley will be adversely affected to a significant degree by these proposals."
Additional concerns and response
The Environment Agency and the Woodland Trust have also raised concerns about potential flooding and drainage issues. In response, the applicant said many objections were based on inaccurate information. A spokesperson stated: "We note that there has been a campaign of objections and responses to the proposals with certain parties being prolific in the extent of material produced. Unfortunately, a large amount of this has been based on misinformation, incorrect assumption and incorrect interpretation of the proposals at hand, together with a lack of understanding of policy, legislation and process."
Durham County Council will make the final decision on the application in due course.
