Owner ditches 'unviable' holiday let in shadow of Alton Towers
A holiday let hit by low occupancy levels and rising costs can now be turned into a 'palatial' one-bedroom home - despite council objections. The decision comes after a previous attempt to turn Daisy's Cottage - on Main Road, in Hollington - into a two-bedroom home failed last year.
Staffordshire Moorlands District Council planners had warned that tourist accommodation would be lost through the move. But the council planning committee approved the one-bedroom scheme.
Latest data for the holiday let showed occupancy levels had fallen from 68 per cent to 52 per cent between 2022 and 2024. Profits had also dropped from £16,489 to £4,212 over the same period.
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Tom Wilkinson, speaking on behalf of the applicant, said: “Financial figures have been submitted showing the cottage is not viable and occupancy levels are dropping. The cottage has also been marketed as a holiday let for a period of 12 months with no interest. The proposal would not materially affect the character of the building or its rural surroundings and furthermore it would contribute towards the district's significant housing shortfall.”
Councillors approved the application.
Councillor Lyn Swindlehurst said: “I’m finding this one very, very difficult to be honest because clearly this is an unpopular holiday destination. Nobody wants to stay there and that is clearly getting worse and I think what will happen in time is that the cottage will deteriorate and remain empty and I’m thinking that is not going to contribute to the local economy as much as somebody living there.”
Councillor Adam Parkes added: “When I went round the property last time my immediate thinking was this would make a fabulous one-bedroom home. It’s a very difficult one but ultimately are we in a position to say to people well just keep running an unprofitable business because you can’t do anything else with it.”
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