PLANS TO EXPAND NEW FOREST HOLIDAY VILLAGE REVEALED

Away Resorts have submitted plans to add 108 holiday lodge caravans to Sandy Balls Holiday Village in order to improve the quality of their visitor accommodation offering.

New Forest National Park are set to review the application, which hopes to change the use of land from touring pitches to a smaller-scale holiday lodge venture that puts quality over quantity.

53 of the lodges, which will be located on the Orchard and Four Acre fields, will be used all year round, whereas the remaining 55 spread across Northfield field and the rest of the Orchard will only open for a total of 9 months.

“The proposed scheme will support the local economy by providing higher quality visitor accommodation at the park which can be enjoyed by guests all year round,” states the application.

“This increase in the number of higher spending visitors will result in increased spending both within the park, allowing further investments in the park’s existing facilities, and outside the park in local shops, services and visitors attractions.”

“The proposal would result in a substantial reduction in the number of pitches on the site from 225 to 108, in addition to ceasing the use of 120 tenting pitches in summer on the adjoining Cornfield site. Those pitches that remain will no longer be used for touring caravans. Accordingly, there would be a significant reduction in visitors and traffic arriving at or leaving the park.”

Source: Salisbury Journal