Major Bluestone expansion will need national park approval

Plans for 80 new lodges as part of development at Bluestone National Park Resort will be decided by the county council and national park with a major application submitted to both authorities.

An application has been submitted to Pembrokeshire County Council for the partial development of holiday lodges and guest car parking, enhancements to the existing access road and associated infrastructure including circulation road, landscaping, drainage infrastructure, retaining walls and earth bunding.

It is linked to a wider development proposal the majority of which falls with the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and is subject to a separate application.

There are currently 334 lodges, studios and cottages sleeping two to 14 people at the resort, along with a variety of cafes, restaurants and bars, a mini supermarket, a spa, an adventure centre and the ‘Blue Lagoon’ waterpark and Serendome.

The proposed development site is to the south west corner of the resort and “is located between two large scale developments and is an infill development on operational land,” a planning report states.

It is on a mix of brownfield and greenfield land with five spaces “of different character” making up the site.

It adds: “The development will offer additional high quality, sustainable, visitor accommodation, recreational outside areas and a dedicated car park with buggy parking. At the heart of the proposals will be the creation of small hubs of interest around which the lodges will be located.”

‘Accessible’

The 80 new lodges will be “of a higher quality” with an eco-focus reducing carbon and energy usage, along with a welcome lodge, buggy park shelter and new car park.

It will offer an additional 80 new accommodation lodges, created around “small hubs of interest” welcome lodge, buggy park shelter structure and new car park.

Three new lodges will be “exemplar disabled accessible”, there will be 29 four-bedroom; two level lodges, 15 two-bedroom, single-storey lodges and 36 three-bedroom, two level lodges, providing an extra 254 beds at the resort.

A pre-application consultation was held last year, when Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority also approved a change of use application for Blackpool Mill to be turned into the restaurant, with a cafe and exhibition space in the adjacent former cottage and forge building.

For more information or to comment on the application visit Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning portal, reference 20/1075/PA before March 24.