Holiday lodges and chalets planned at Whitehouse Farm Centre in Northumberland

An application seeking permission for 15 holiday lodges and 33 chalets at the Whitehouse Farm Centre, near Morpeth, has been submitted to Northumberland County Council.

If approved, it would create 15 new full-time jobs and 10 part-time jobs.

It would also generate an expected visitor spend in the region of £2.5m to £3m per year for pubs, restaurants and other local attractions in the area.

The Glororum attraction welcomed over 100,000 visitors last year but there is no overnight accommodation and owners Dean and Heather Hogarty are keen to diversify to provide a sustainable, long-term plan for the future of the site.

The scheme has been in the pipeline since the height of the Covid pandemic, with draft proposals to add almost 100 forest lodges, tree houses and caravan pitches included in a pre-application submission in 2021.

A statement on behalf of the owners read: “Whitehouse Farm Centre is Northumberland’s largest family run farm attraction spread over 40 acres, located south of Morpeth and just a mile off the A1.

"Whitehouse is a great place for families, schools and group visits of all ages enabling visitors to see, handle and feed a wide variety of animals from traditional breeds to more unusual and exotic species.

"The site has suffered financially as a result of the coronavirus pandemic of 2020. The owners are keen to provide a sustainable, long-term plan for the future of the site and its various uses.

“They would like to further diversify the land by introducing visitor accommodation in the mixed form of chalets, lodges and the redevelopment of the boiler room to form a manager’s dwelling.”

The boiler house was formerly used in association with the former hospital on the site. A five bedroom home is proposed.

A new entrance kiosk and cafe/picnic barn link is also planned.

The proposal also includes a wide range of ecological enhancements, improved access around the site and to the wider area via guided walks. A viewing hide is also proposed along with educational information boards, feeding stations and remote cameras.