CHESHIRE Country Holidays faces renewed opposition to its plans for glamping pods from bosses at a world-famous radio telescope despite attempts to meet their concerns.

The company is seeking approval from Cheshire East Council for 10 glamping pods off Bomish Lane in Blackden Heath.

An application for a glamping site on the land was refused by the council in January 2019 because of the impact it would have on the Jodrell Bank radio telescope.

The scheme is aimed at expanding the applicant’s self-catering business, and the new plans have incorporated additional measures to reduce the perceived level of interference in respect of the effectiveness of the radio telescope.

A report with the application said: “The proposals, due to their scale, nature and orientation, would have a very limited impact on the Jodrell Bank telescope efficiency and setting.

“[They] have been modified from the previous submission to reduce their impact upon efficiency, predominantly by removing the need for an electricity supply in the pods and replacing this with gas-fired barbecues and log burners to provide heating and hot water.

“Reorientation of the pods also removes opening windows which faced Jodrell Bank.”

A spokesman from Jodrell Bank said: “Jodrell Bank Observatory now opposes development across a significant part of the consultation zone as a matter of principle, to protect the efficiency of the Jodrell Bank radio telescope’s ability to receive radio emissions from space with a minimum of interference from electrical equipment.

“We acknowledge this application is for holiday lets rather than permanently occupied dwellings, so the occupancy rate and number of appliances present and in use may be less than our standard assumptions.

“However the pods themselves are likely to offer less shielding than conventional building materials, and this site is very close to the telescope.

“Therefore our view is that the impact from the additional potential contribution to the existing level of interference coming from that direction will be moderate to severe.”

The latest application is also opposed by Goostrey Parish Council.

It said: “The site is very close to the Jodrell Bank Observatory. If the experts at JBO object there would be a conflict with Goostrey Neighbourhood Plan Policy.

“The drawings now show the pods will have gas combi-boilers and air-source heat pumps, which require electricity, and thermostatic controllers which interfere with JBO.

“The shower block also has a boiler and presumably LED lighting, both of which have the potential for radio-frequency emissions.

“The site is in an unsustainable location as there are no footways/pavements along Bomish Lane or Blackden Lane to reach Goostrey village.”