As well as non-essential shops and outdoor hospitality, Monday 12 April also marks the opening of the new Forest Holidays cabins at Delamere Forest.

From this date, single-household groups will be allowed to visit self-contained holiday accommodation, including this new collection of 66 eco-sensitive cabins, which are 'designed to allow guests to immerse themselves in nature and connect with the natural world'.

The lodges, which range in style from two-person Hideaways to 10 guest 'treehouses', are joined by a Forest Retreat shop and café bar, as well as two 'natural' play areas.

The development has long been a source of controversy, being bitterly opposed by campaigners and rejected twice by Cheshire West and Chester Council Planning Committee. However, the cabins were eventually allowed by a planning inspector.

Public resistance to the Forest Holidays complex was backed by Frodsham MP Mike Amesbury, who visited the site in March.

Mike said: "Reflecting the concerns of my constituents, I opposed the development because it was in the Green Belt. But we are where we are.

"This area of the forest will remain open for the public to roam at will. And the scheme appears sympathetic to its surroundings and the environment.

"Clearly, I am pleased it will generate 60 jobs for local people – including many who were previously unemployed - and have a positive ripple effect for the Cheshire economy as we recover from the impact of the pandemic."

A spokesperson for Forest Holidays said: "The cabins are built in a unique way with a pioneering design which fits around the forest, using a technique which allows cabins to be carefully assembled between the trees and rainwater to drain naturally into the forest floor."

"Delamere Forest is the first Forest Holidays location to use a new piling technology to create the cabins.

"A lightweight micro pile system which mimics a tree root system has been used and is installed with simple portable tools to ensure they are extremely low impact and ecologically sensitive.

"This process protects the forest floor, ensures that nearby trees are unaffected and soil movement is minimised."

Bruce McKendrick, Chief Executive of Forest Holidays commented: "Given that tourism and hospitality has been one of the most significantly affected sectors during the pandemic, we are delighted to be offering a range of new, year-round full and part time job opportunities.

"We have now recruited 75 per cent of our team, with the majority living within 10 miles of Delamere Forest.

"Over 60 per cent of our new team were previously out of work or sadly made redundant due to coronavirus."

Visitors to the new Delamere Forest location are expected to generate an estimated £2.4 million annually for the local economy, helping it to recover and grow following the pandemic.