PARISH councillors and Jodrell Bank Observatory are opposing plans for a glamping site at Bomish Lane, Blackden Heath.

Cheshire Country Holidays wants to build 10 glamping pods and parking for 15 vehicles, an office, store, shop and shower block.

It is seeking planning approval from Cheshire East Council, but faces opposition from Goostrey Parish Council and Jodrell Bank Observatory.

The site is farmland and about 800 metres from Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre.

Cheshire Country Holidays runs a nearby business at Brookbank Farm, providing short-term holiday lets in the area.

Although the site is not adjacent to the existing business the glamping site would be an extension to it.

A report with the application said: “The proposal is in an accessible location for shops and services in surrounding villages with limited impact on the openness of the countryside, and would represent a sustainable form of development in line with national and local planning policy.

“The design of the site and individual pods is in keeping with the surrounding area and is rural in character. The proposal, due to its scale, nature and orientation, would have a very limited impact on the Jodrell Bank telescope efficiency and setting.”

Professor Simon Garrington, Associate Director at Jodrell Bank Observatory said: “We acknowledge this application is for holiday lets rather than permanently-occupied dwellings, so the occupancy rate and number of appliances present and in use may be less than our standard assumptions.

“However the pods are likely to offer less shielding than conventional building materials, and this site is very close to the telescope.

“Therefore the impact from the additional potential contribution to the existing level of interference coming from that direction will be moderate to severe.

Goostrey Parish Council said: “Much of the development appears to be of a permanent nature for 365-day occupation.

“This includes those glamping pods which will have en-suite toilets and washing facilities, as well as the building which contains an office, shop and shower facilities.

“As such, the units are very similar to residential park homes. There is therefore a conflict with policy as the dwellings are in the open countryside.

“The site is in an unsustainable location as there are no footways/pavements along Bomish Lane or Blackden Lane to reach Goostrey, both of which are very narrow.”