Reindeer lodge plans at Christmas attraction turned down

Liam Randall, local democracy reporter

A herd of reindeer which form part of a popular festive attraction could lose their home after a planning application was rejected.

The Reindeer Lodge in Leeswood, near Mold, draws thousands of visitors a year as people flock to see Father Christmas and his reindeer on a drive-thru festive light trail.

However, the owners of the business based on Black Meadows Farm now face potentially having to remove two wooden buildings used to rear their herd of 31 reindeer.

The buildings were constructed without planning permission in 2018 and 2019, shortly after the owners took over the site.

Mine shafts

A retrospective application to allow the shelters to remain in place was first submitted to Flintshire Council in November 2022, but later withdrawn due to concerns over drainage and the presence of underground mine shafts nearby.

A fresh bid was then made in February this year to gain permission for the buildings.

A recent notice on the local authority’s website shows it has been refused, meaning the owners could be issued with an enforcement notice demanding them to remove the shelters.

It comes after neighbours voiced several objections to the proposals, including complaints over noise and traffic.

In an email to the council, one unnamed resident said: “My house backs on to the Reindeer Lodge and the noise that comes from there until as late as 10.30pm is unacceptable.

“I work from home during the day and can clearly hear the noise with all windows shut.

“Signage is very poor resulting in traffic coming through an access only lane at high speed.

“The amount of additional traffic is unsuitable for a village of this size, causing traffic jams of up to 45 minutes to get home.”

The Reindeer Lodge was previously included in a list of the UK’s best Christmas illuminations published by the Guardian.

Popular

Agents representing the business said any previous concerns had been addressed in the latest application and claimed the business was popular with local people.

In a planning statement, they said: “This application seeks planning permission for two buildings associated with the rearing and keeping of reindeer, as well as a seasonal change of use of land to allow visitors on site during certain times of year.

“The business is situated on a farm and has been used as a reindeer farm and visitor attraction from November to December each year.

“The business has grown year on year into one of North Wales’ leading festive attractions, attracting thousands of visitors into the area each year.

“It has quickly become a festive tradition for many returning visitors and the attraction is largely very well received by the overwhelming majority of local residents.”

A notice on the council’s website shows the proposals were refused using delegated powers given to planning officers to deal with minor applications.