Dozens of holiday lodges planned for a farm that once starred in a David Attenborough documentary have been labelled a "monstrosity" by residents.

The application, by Brayden Cooper, would see a holiday village, including up to 45 lodges, built on Langborrow Farm, on Launde Road, one-and-a-half miles to the east of Tilton on the Hill.

If approved by Harborough District Council (HDC), plans for the former chicken farm site would also include a gatehouse, bike rental and shop building, a cafe/restaurant as well as indoor and outdoor leisure facilities and a new access from and onto Oakham Road.

The site is no stranger to planning applications, having had several developments put forward by Mr Cooper over the years, including for 90 holiday lodges, 10 homes and 10 commercial units, in addition to the 45 holiday lodge home plans.

The latest development is hugely controversial, with 320 objections being put forward against the plans which are in an area adjacent to a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) – the Tilton Railway Cutting.

This is the place where Sir David Attenborough first discovered his love for natural history, according to the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, while the wider area itself featured in the broadcaster's 2020 documentary, A Life on our Planet.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), resident Kay Highfield said she planned to speak at the HDC planning committee meeting against the development.

She said: "This would be like Center Parcs on our doorstep. Having said that, although the lodges were reduced, none of the ancillary buildings were reduced.

"So they've got more ancillary buildings than Center Parcs have. And some of those, the sizes of those buildings are just enormous. The amount of light pollution that would just come out of the ancillary buildings alone will light up that area like Blackpool illuminations.

When the LDRS asked the 68-year-old what it would mean if the plans went ahead, she said: "The reason why we live here is because it's totally rural, its tranquil. All this will be gone. And there will be huge amounts of traffic.

"What [the application] doesn't address is the safety of all these people that are going to go on site, there's a cycle hire shop on site. So people will get on their bikes and they will come out onto the Oak Road. And they will go up on the small rural lanes. And they are so dangerous.

"I've seen so many accidents since I've lived here. It's just an accident absolutely waiting to happen. So there's the increased noise, the increased traffic, the increased lighting. It's not just one thing. [All the wildlife] around here will be affected by the light and the noise. It's absolutely tragic."

Writing in objection on the HDC portal, one resident said: "I have never come across a scheme which shouts 'bad planning' as this application does.

"It is a cynical attempt to abuse the planning system for purely commercial gain with an utterly inappropriate commercial scheme in the open countryside; 'holiday parks' are going bust around the UK on a daily basis – where on earth is the logic or indeed the planning viability for this scheme.

"Since the pre-application consultation, the applicant was advised by officers of HDC to engage with the local population.. but there has been zero engagement in fact there has been animosity towards anyone prepared to speak out against this monstrosity."

A second said: "The totally rural nature of the surrounding area means existing services cannot support a development of this scale. The local roads, including Oakham and Launde Road, are unsuitable for the increased traffic and would reduce tranquillity and increase safety risks.

"There are no bus services or cycle lanes, and slow-moving farm vehicles already share these roads, increasing potential conflict and safety risks.

"The applicant has not addressed the increased lighting from entrance signage, welcome buildings, leisure buildings, restaurant/cafe, and the 45 lodges, threatening dark skies and rural character.

"The area is also rich in protected wildlife but this development would disturb habitats and peace for the existing wildlife. Tilton Cutting is a protected geological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and nature reserve which would be at greater risk of vandalism due to increased tourism to the Cutting."

In his application, Mr Cooper notes the external lighting strategy proposed with the plans "balances health and safety requirements with the need to protect dark skies and limit light spill".

He added: "The development is not a high-intensity events venue but a low-density eco resort designed to connect with nature. Building layout minimises noise breakout, with operational measures (e.g., limited outdoor activity hours, no amplified music) and licensing controls available to protect amenity and wildlife."

Leicestershire County Council, acting as the Local Highways Authority, said impacts on highways safety "would not be unacceptable" and that the impacts on the road network "would not be severe" either.

A spokesman for HDC said: "The application is currently being assessed and is expected to be reported to the Planning Committee as soon as possible. However, at this stage we are not able to confirm the date on which it will be considered."