Plans have been submitted to expand a holiday park between Darlington and Northallerton by adding 16 static caravans to cater for a growing demand for smaller accommodation.
Horizon Holiday Parks has filed a planning permission with North Yorkshire Council to increase the number of holiday caravans at Dalton Meadows Country Park, at Dalton-on-Tees, from 36 to 52.
The proposals would see the additional caravans installed within the existing boundaries of the park, rather than extending the site into surrounding countryside.
Planning documents submitted to North Yorkshire Council say the expansion has been made possible by greater demand for smaller caravans than originally anticipated.
In a statement supporting the application, planning consultants Wardman Brown said the smaller size of most caravans had created sufficient room for the expansion without increasing the park’s footprint.
They said: “This proposal does not see an external expansion of the Park but by using the Regulation Separation Distances for setting out caravans, there is more than sufficient space to site the additional 16 units and include the ecological improvements.”
The park was granted planning permission in 2020 for 38 static caravans, with the original scheme including 22 larger double-width units and 16 smaller single-width caravans.
However, the developer says demand has grown for smaller units, with only two of the 36 holiday caravans currently installed being double-width models.
This has freed up space within the park, allowing additional accommodation to be provided while maintaining the minimum six-metre separation between caravans required under council regulations.
The application proposes 14 additional single-width caravans and two double-width units, bringing the total to 52 holiday caravans, plus an existing reception unit.
Two short extensions to the internal road network would also be constructed to provide access and parking for nine of the new units.
The developer says the additional caravans would match the existing accommodation in appearance, while using the park’s current drainage system and electricity supply.
The plans also include environmental improvements intended to meet biodiversity requirements.
These would involve planting 20 new trees, creating two native hedgerows and improving grassland around the site’s boundaries.
Additional biodiversity credits would also be purchased to help meet the required ten per cent biodiversity net gain.
The planning statement also reveals that a children’s playground and picnic area originally included in the park’s layout have been removed because of a lack of demand.
The developer says the age profile of caravan owners, many of whom have older children or no children, meant the facilities were rarely used.
An ornamental pond has been installed in their place.
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