A Northumberland farm which expanded into tourism has been given the green light for a £1m development of holiday cottages complete with hot tubs.
Growing demand for staycations in the region has led the owners of North Farm Cottages in Embleton to invest the seven-figure sum, adding six new stone cottages to its accommodation with views of the Northumberland coast. Construction is now under way with the first holidaymakers expected to stay in early summer.
Property specialist George F. White advised North Farm Cottages on the venture and led the planning process. With the addition of the six new units, the holiday site will be home to 20 holiday let cottages. The cottages have been designed to complement their rural setting by the coast, using stone brick and exposed beams.
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Each cottage will sleep up to four guests and have a lounge area with a log burner, kitchen, two bedrooms, family bathroom, private garden and outdoor hot tub. Other existing facilities will be available to guests, including an indoor swimming pool. Holidaymakers can also access the nearby beach and village of Newton by the Sea via private walking tracks.
North Farm Cottages, set within 350 acres of countryside, originally started as a farm, before welcoming holidaymakers to enjoy the beautiful rural setting.
Richard Manners, owner of North Farm Cottages, said: “Over the last couple of years we have noticed a real shift in tourism in Northumberland. The county is now attracting visitors from all over the UK as far away as London and the South West, which is fantastic for the local tourism economy and businesses like us. We’re looking forward to being able to welcome more holidaymakers and families, and are taking bookings for the new cottages from 01 May 2023.
“We have always looked outward to adapt to the changing world and protect our business and sought the expertise of George F. White over 20 years ago to help us diversify into other areas.”
Craig Ross, partner at George F. White, added: “We’ve been fortunate to support North Farm Cottages from the beginning when they founded their holiday business. They saw an opportunity to create an amazing staycation destination in Northumberland, which has expanded over the years in response to growing demand from holidaymakers attracted to the county. It’s brilliant to see them growing again with these new cottages, which we were pleased to secure planning permission for.
“Exploring new revenue streams is becoming increasingly important to farm businesses ahead of a substantial cut to direct subsidies of at least 50 per cent by 2024. North Farm Cottages is a brilliant example of a farm business looking ahead and taking brave steps to secure its future, which has really paid off. I’m sure the new holiday cottages will be very popular.”
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