A CONTROVERSIAL planning application to build a 'high quality' holiday resort on grassland in a national park is under consideration after receiving dozens of local objections.

The proposal refers to land north of Rigg End Farm, west of Tebay, and has been submitted by Mike Hampson on behalf of Koto Design Ltd and Nook and Key Escapes.

Nook and Key Escapes operates a number of holiday resorts in the UK, and offers a 'hands-off' approach, with remote contact with no live-in management.

The Design and Access Statement, submitted in collaboration between Koto and Nook and Key, states: "The project is to create seven high-end accommodation units that can bring new revenue to the existing businesses.

"(The cabins) will sit within the existing grassland.

"The proposals are intended to have a minimal environmental impact and will retain all of the existing tree line plus will have a minimal impact on the wider views of the landscape."

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"Our ethos is to seek a quiet luxury through beautiful natural materials, space, light, and connections to nature.

"The vision is to create a coherent, natural, design-led eco retreat bringing clients closer to wild nature."

The proposed cabins will be a mixture of studio, one-bed, and two-beds, covering an area of 1.42 hectares, with a total of 220.7 square metres, providing for eight car parking spaces.

One objection submitted states: "Would this not crush the Eden ethos of encouraging local farming families to diversify into tourism?

"Also crushing the preservation of the famous open landscapes of the area which the tourists we are aiming to encourage come to see.

"Instead would we be saying yes to 'off-comer businessmen' to come and inappropriately capitalise on our magnificent heritage"

A separate objection states: "The access track is totally unsuitable for the amount of increase in traffic it would have to take. 

"There is also a strong argument for protecting and enhancing the special local landscape we have here, not for siting obtrusive holiday structures which are mass-produced and not in keeping with the predominantly limestone buildings in this landscape."