Plans have been submitted for a new £20 million wildlife facility and holiday lodges near Kirkby in Ashfield.
A patch of land off Mawkin Lane, just west of Kirkby-in-Ashfield, could end up being used for a new wildlife and conservation project.
Applicant Ursula Davidson has submitted plans to Ashfield District Council to turn the field into a “get-away-from-it-all” tourism location, featuring 16 wildlife enclosures, 15 dedicated wildlife houses and 17 holiday lodges.
Plans say the project would offer a “unique wildlife conservation facility” in the countryside setting and help to meet the “rising demand for ‘staycation’ type accommodation”.
Documents say: “This will not only provide much-needed wildlife conservation, but will provide an educational resource for local residents as well as a magnetic draw for visitors outside the District.
“The rural location is both required to appropriately deliver wildlife conservation and to create an attractive ‘get-away-from-it-all’ tourism offering within a countryside setting.”
Of the lodges, 15 will have double bedrooms and two will have single bedrooms. Guest accommodation would also feature in two of the wildlife houses. The facility would be expected to host up to 23,300 overnight stays each year.
If plans are approved, the construction phase is expected to last around two years and would create around 60 full-time jobs during the construction period.
Plans say the operator of the site would work with local schools, colleges and training providers to offer apprenticeships, work experience, educational site visits and skills development.
Members of the public wrote to the council to show their support for the application, including people living outside the area.
Ross Lethbirdge, from West Bridgford, called it a “wonderful opportunity” for the local community, adding: “[It] will be great to have a place for children and families to visit and learn more about conservation along with supporting the animals’ care.”
Plans do not currently state which animals and species would feature on the site.
According to documents, the facility would be available to the public on a pre-booked basis only, “limited to a single booking per day”, with the site mainly in use by those staying there for a break.
Access to the site would be via the existing access to the field off Mawkin Lane, which connects to the wider road network via Cliff Lane and the B6019 Kirkby Lane.
Ashfield District Council will decide on this application at a later stage.
By Lauren Monaghan, Local Democracy Reporter