Three luxury glamping cabins have been installed on a site overlooking West Strand Beach in Portrush without planning permission, prompting an investigation by Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.

The council confirmed a planning application for the cabins, along with sauna huts, a stand-alone sauna, a plunge pool and parking provision, was lodged in June and remains under consideration.

Reflect Portrush, the company operating the cabins, said the site already has planning permission for holiday accommodation with the same occupancy levels. They described the new application as seeking approval for an alternative form of tourist accommodation. The company added that the cabins are temporary structures without permanent foundations and can be removed or relocated.

Bookings for the three cabins, named Cove, Nest and Perch, are being advertised from September. Weekday rates are listed at £275 per night, rising to £350 on Friday and Saturday nights. Reflect Portrush said marketing began in anticipation of the project progressing and described the launch date as aspirational.

Alliance councillor Richard Brown Stewart said he had been contacted by a significant number of residents concerned about the development. He said the council’s planning enforcement investigation is linked to the June application and that the application may need to be withdrawn and resubmitted retrospectively. A number of objections have already been received, he added, and he expressed concern that development before planning approval could set a precedent.

A previous planning application for the land, which proposed stationing a double-decker bus for short-term visitor accommodation, was approved on appeal by the Planning Appeals Commission in August 2024.

Reflect Portrush said the development would transform what it called a neglected and underutilised site into a high-quality tourism destination. The company said public response since the unveiling had been overwhelmingly positive and that the design was more visually sympathetic than the previously approved scheme. It added that guests would be encouraged to support local businesses and that it respected the planning process.

Local opinion on the cabins was divided. Some praised the futuristic design and panoramic ocean views, while others criticised the structures for not fitting the beach setting or for their proximity to a nearby amusement park and a public walkway, raising privacy concerns.