A planning row has broken out over a Halloween horror attraction’s application to continue operating on the green belt.

Doncaster Fear Factory has applied for permission to change the use of land at Thornhurst Manor Country Park to an outdoor attraction with marquees, event “structures” and shipping containers.

The application to Doncaster Council is retrospective as the tents have been located there since 2020.

The event organizer said allowing it to remain permanently would boost the local economy and put the “town on the map”, but council planning officers have raised concerns about the impact on the surrounding area.

The Halloween event runs for two weeks in October and can accommodate 200 visitors in an evening session, with 40 in each pre-booked 30-minute time slot.

Additional part-time staff are being hired to manage traffic flows and crowd safety at Thornhurst Manor, near Askern, which is an established hotel, wedding venue and golf course.

Managing director Laurie Murray, who founded Fear Factory in her parents’ garden when she was 18, wrote on Facebook: “I have been working hard to secure planning permission for the Doncaster Fear Factory, an event we are all very proud of. .de. However, we have been facing challenges with the application.

“This event is more than just fun; it will bring 140 seasonal jobs to Doncaster and inject thousands of pounds into the local economy. “It’s an opportunity to put Doncaster on the map and give our community something exciting to do, attracting tourism and driving more activity . in the area.”

Since calling for support on social media, a large number of comments have been left on Doncaster Council’s planning portal in favor of the proposal.

Ms Murray, however, claimed council planners had indicated they would not approve the application, and Owston Parish Council had also lodged an objection to plans for it to operate in the country park.

The request was supposed to have been resolved by October 22, but a decision has not yet been made.

In a statement, the parish council said: “It appears clear that the owners are disregarding planning as they are once again submitting a retrospective application for the change of use of the land mentioned above.

“The parish council opposes this application, not only for the reasons set out above, but also due to the fact that previous events have been poorly managed, with many complaints.

“We believe Thornhurst management has no regard for local people and will continue to do whatever they want.”

Doncaster Council’s planning director noted that although the event structures were described as temporary, they remained in place year-round at a green belt location.

In their submission they added: “The main elements of the proposed visitor attraction are indoor structures which are not intended as appropriate facilities in relation to the change of land use for outdoor recreation.

“In this sense, the proposal is an inappropriate development in the green belt.”

It was stated that the applicant would have to demonstrate that “exceptional circumstances” existed for the development to be granted permission.

The council’s senior highways development control officer, Andy Wiltshire, wrote that he did not support the application because he was concerned there would not be adequate parking for 200 vehicles, which could end up leaving the site at the same time.

However, the submission from senior environmental health officer Fiona Boothroyd said: “The Fear Factory has been in operation for four years and there have never been any noise complaints or other issues, to my knowledge, associated with holding this event in the site.”

The BBC has contacted Doncaster Fear Factory for comment.

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