Expansion approved for holiday park with nearly 500 caravans

Bruce Sinclair, Local Democracy Reporter

The expansion of a coastal holiday park with nearly 500 accommodation units has been approved despite objections from two community councils and a conflict with local planning policy.

Pembrokeshire Coast National Park’s development management committee approved plans by Haven Leisure Limited for 12 additional holiday units at Lydstep Beach Village, Lydstep Haven, south of Tenby.

The development will increase the number of pitches at the park from 471 to 483, with the applicant saying the expansion will help support the 123 people already employed at the site.

The plans involve 11 units in an area known as South of Pine Tree and one at North of Haven Crest, together with decking, access roads, parking, landscaping and drainage works.

Planning officers described the development as infill within the existing holiday park, rather than an extension into the surrounding countryside.

The application went before the committee because officers recommended approval despite it conflicting with the local development plan and objections from both Manorbier and Penally community councils.

An officer report said: “Planning permission is sought for the installation of 12 bases for the siting of holiday accommodation units (falling within the definition of a caravan), together with associated decking, internal access roads, parking, landscaping and drainage infrastructure.

“11 units are proposed within the South of Pine Tree area and one unit within the North of Haven Crest area.

“The proposal represents a modest infill development within the existing operational holiday park and does not extend the established site boundary into the surrounding countryside.”

The holiday park occupies a coastal site overlooking Lydstep Bay, around three kilometres southwest of Tenby, and has operated for several decades.

As well as its existing 471 holiday accommodation pitches, it has internal roads, parking, reception and leisure facilities and landscaped and amenity areas.

The larger of the two areas earmarked for development is currently grassed amenity space between existing holiday accommodation, woodland and internal roads.

The second is a smaller area of open land close to the coastline and existing accommodation.

Planning officers said the 12 additional units represented an increase of around 2.55% in the number of holiday accommodation units at the park.

‘Modest’

Speaking at the meeting, agent Helen Ashby-Ridgway, of Lichfields, described the expansion as “modest” and stressed that it would not increase the overall footprint of the holiday park.

She said the additional units would also help support the jobs of the 123 people employed at the site.

Committee members approved the application subject to a series of conditions, with one member abstaining.

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