A rural Herefordshire events venue has revealed ambitious expansion plans.
Gary Baugh is seeking full planning permission (application 243164) to convert buildings at Shucknall Court, Weston Beggard just off the main A4103 Hereford-Worcester road, for accommodation and events use.
Run by Mr Baugh and family, Shucknall Court already hosts events and provides guest accommodation in the main house.
The plan is now to convert four disused barns at the farm to events use, while permitting the main house and one barn to provide “overnight accommodation supporting events use”.
Such events could take the form of garden talks, art and flower arranging classes, “yoga/ pilates/mindfulness workshops”, or business meetings, a statement with the application says.
A yearly event programme could also include Christmas decoration classes, dinner parties and even a Christmas fair, as well as weddings, family celebrations, corporate events and parties.
“The redundant farm buildings have suffered from a lack of investment over the last 30 years and need a new sustainable use,” the application says, adding that if approved, this would “create lots of jobs”.
In pre-application advice from Herefordshire Council, planning officer Emma Aram said she “would be concerned that the scale of the proposal would be out of keeping with the rural character of the area, and… would lead to significant areas given over to car parking to the detriment of the character of the countryside”.
But the full application says that “the wider use of the site, for car parking to support event use, is established and will require minimal adaptation”.
Comments on the application can be made until February 7.