ADDITIONAL car parking spaces to support tourism facilities have been proposed in a planning application near Harle.

Sweethope Lough, part of the Ray Estate whose history can be traced back to early feudal times in Northumberland, is a renowned stillwater located in the Northumberland hills.

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There is a caravan site, holiday cottages and fishery at Sweethope.

In the 17th and 18th century, much of the northern part of the estate was owned by the Duke of Northumberland, while the southern third was part of Wallington Estate.

The estate in its present format was assembled by the Stobart family in approximately 1830, the report explained.

In the published design and access statement, the planning report said: "The present car park serving Sweethope Loughs associated with the fishing facilities holds a maximum of around 40 parking spaces."

An additional 58 spaces have been proposed.

The proposed site is located close to the woodland area accessed off the existing track.

"The proposed car parking egress is located to link via the existing path which leads down to the present swimming facility at Sweethope Loughs," the report said.

"The proposed additional car parking will serve the use associated with the Outdoor Wild Swimming facility, which has increased significantly since it was introduced recently at Sweethope Loughs.

"The present car parking facilities is related to the fishing use for Sweethope Loughs which will not be large enough to accommodate the future demand for the Outdoor Wild Swimming activity or any other future activities proposed.

"The present facility employs two full-time staff. The proposals are to initially to employ a further two full-time staff and one part-time staff totalling additional three staff.

"Other staff may be employed on either a full or part-time basis depending on how the facility increases in membership.

"The car park layout is designed so as to be screened from the main access track but sympathetically laid out to suit the contours of the land and limits the number of trees that would need removing.

"The present area allocated for the car parking was decimated by the November 2021 storms which has left a substantial area clear of trees," the report added.