Planning officials at the authority have been advised to approve the
proposals, and will decide the outcome of the application this Friday.

They are staunchly opposed by residents in Beeley, who have written to the
Duke, raised a petition and formed a heritage group to ensure the village
retains its character.

Siobhan Spencer, who has lived in the village for 30 years, said locals
understood tourism was a part of modern life, but said 25 per cent of
village homes could soon become holiday rentals.

Mrs Spencer, whose husband has worked for the Duke of Devonshire for decades,
said: “These cottages are right in the heart of the community and
allowing them to be turned into hotel rooms threatens to kill that.

“We are not slamming holiday homes per-se, because we know they provide
jobs, but you have to strike a balance.

“I have contacted the estate office and said we are not happy and I have
written a letter to the Duke because I feel its only right for him to know
how we feel.

“Beeley is not a very big place and it feels like the tourism aspect of
Chatsworth is going to become all consuming.

“It is a case of much wanting more and everybody else being disregarded.”

Nick Wood, land agent for the Chatsworth Estate said : “We take our
responsibilities very seriously and we want the villages to be good
community environments. It is important to maintain the fabric of the
villages and we do contribute to the parish council in Beeley.

“The village has more affordable housing than many villages around the country
and we do provide other affordable housing in other villages. But we can’t
do that without running a business , it is a balance and we don’t think we
have stepped over the line with this.

“We don’t think with this change of use we are changing the character of the
village but if the planners give permission and say that is enough then we
will accept that.”

Application papers filed by the Chatsworth Estate office state that it is
committed to affordable housing, with 15 of the 31 estate-owned houses in
the village being occupied by estate staff and pensioners.

In a report preceding Friday’s meeting, planning officers wrote: “There
is a balance to be struck between the economic benefits of providing tourist
accommodation and retaining smaller properties for the community.

“However, given the statistics put forward by the applicant and the fact
that there are no restrictions on the use of the properties at present, the
proposed use is acceptable.”

Beeley Village, which now has a population of just 490, was bought by the
third Duke of Devonshire in 1747.

The village is situated on the East bank of the River Derwent, a mile and a
half from Chatsworth itself, and is frequently used as a backdrop for film
dramas, and has become an international tourist destination.