‘Love Island on steroids’? Glamping pods get green light in Antrim

Cotters Park, Antrim

A planning application for the retention of “high-end” glamping pods at a County Antrim site has been approved by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council’s Planning Committee.

The decision was made at a meeting in Mossley Mill on Monday evening, August 18.

Planning officer Alicia Leathem told the committee that the Cotters Park facility, located on Ballydunmaul Road between Randalstown and Toomebridge, had previously received approval for glamping pods, but the development “was not implemented in accordance with the approved plan”.

The latest application sought permission for the retention of glamping pods, a communal building, a welcome building, three pergolas, two saunas, a site office/reception and storage facilities, a WC block, an NIE/plant building, parking, and landscaping works.

Ms Leathem stressed that the current proposal was a “standalone application to be considered on its own merits” and confirmed that the council’s environmental health department had raised no objections in relation to noise or light.

The committee heard that 273 letters of support had been submitted, citing the boost to the rural economy and the promotion of sustainable tourism. Three letters of objection were also received, raising concerns about the impact on neighbouring amenity, the validity of the original permission, and the effect on local ecology.

A report noted that the site currently operates as a glamping venue with seven pods “providing accommodation around the periphery of an existing lake”, along with a communal building, office, and ancillary accommodation. Parking is located on an adjacent hard-standing area. Surrounding lands are mainly agricultural with some nearby dwellings.

The report also highlighted that enforcement issues linked to ongoing operations were “not within the scope of this application” and would be handled separately by the council’s enforcement team.

The original approval, granted on 28 July 2022, was for six glamping pods and a welcome/communal building. However, the development diverged from those plans.

The new application represented an investment of approximately £500,000, with a reported turnover of £440,000 in the first year—part of which was reinvested into the facility and used to subsidise agricultural operations.

The site welcomed 3,488 guests in its first year. The updated proposal included one additional pod, a revised communal building, the relocation of the office/reception, three extra storage cabins, design changes to three pods, and the addition of saunas, pergolas, hot tubs, lighting, benches, fire pits, and landscaping.

Each pod now has its own hot tub, while two saunas have been installed—one near the entrance and another extending onto the lake via a wooden jetty.

Objections from neighbours

Sinn Féin councillor Annie O’Lone, who is not a committee member but had speaking rights, raised concerns from residents about the “ongoing development of the site”.

She argued that the new plans represented a “significant deviation” from the original permission and questioned the tourism benefit to the borough.

Neighbour Bernie Crossan told the meeting:

“What was constructed is completely different,” adding that the site had been referred to online as “Love Island on steroids”. She complained of “noisy party-goers with guests in hot tubs and bottles smashed” at 1.30am, with “loud music and the song ‘Sweet Caroline’ blasting across the field”.

She claimed neighbours had stopped reporting disturbances because “no action is being taken”. Her husband, Kevin, described the venue as “a party location for many” and questioned the accuracy of the site measurements.

Applicants respond

Planning agent Matt Kennedy said the applicants had “no objections to proposed planning conditions” and had introduced a noise management plan. He noted that only three objections had been received and that the last formal complaint to environmental health was over a year ago.

Applicant Ruth Alexander told councillors that neighbour complaints were “totally unrecognisable to what we have on site”. She admitted there had been a handful of noise issues, mostly in August last year, but insisted measures such as a 24-hour decibel monitor and a strict “no noise after 10.30pm” rule had been effective.

“Love Island on steroids is not something we have promoted ourselves as. The vast majority [of guests] are couples, 15 per cent are families and five per cent are groups such as hen parties. It is a high-end glamping experience,” she said.

Council officers confirmed there had been no recent noise complaints.

Committee decision

Glengormley DUP councillor Alison Bennington asked for noise and light mitigation measures, while her colleague Sam Flanagan requested acoustic fencing.

Barry Diamond, the council’s head of planning, said conditions would include keeping windows and doors shut at night in the communal building, restricting guest numbers, and banning external amplified music.

The application was approved following a vote, with four councillors in favour, two against, and four abstaining.