Plans to diversify a long-running National Trust campsite near Freshwater West in Pembrokeshire are expected to receive approval from Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority in June, following a recommendation by planning officers.
The proposal for Gupton Farm is scheduled to be considered at the June meeting of the park authority’s development management committee. The application seeks permission for a change of use of land for camping, along with the seasonal siting of five “landpods,” 20 campervans, and associated works at the coastal site.
The application has been referred to committee members rather than being determined directly by planning officers because it represents a departure from the adopted Local Development Plan 2, despite officers recommending approval.
According to the officer report, the site has operated for approximately 10 years as an established seasonal campsite under a National Trust exemption certificate. The campsite currently accommodates seasonal tent camping and a limited number of campervan pitches using existing infrastructure such as shower and toilet facilities, sewage treatment systems, parking areas, and access tracks.
“The proposal seeks to formalize and diversify the existing operation by allowing greater flexibility in accommodation type and pitch management whilst maintaining the existing overall site capacity of a maximum of 100 people and 50 pitches per night,” the report states.
According to the Western Telegraph, planning documents indicate that the proposal would not increase the site’s total occupancy levels. Instead, it would redistribute accommodation types through additional campervan provision and the introduction of seasonal landpods. The structures are intended to operate only during the camping season and would be removed from the site during December, January, and February.
“The landpods are proposed as free-standing seasonal structures with no permanent drainage or utility connections and would be removed from the site during December, January and February,” the report adds.
Officers acknowledged that the application conflicts with some planning policies because of the site’s sensitive coastal location within the national park. However, the report concludes that the seasonal nature of the development, the lack of increased site capacity, and proposed environmental measures weigh in favor of approval.
The report also noted that an earlier pre-application proposal raised concerns because of “the scale and sensitivity of the site location.” Planning officers had advised there could be support for “a reduced-scale, clearly seasonal proposal where robust landscape mitigation, ecological enhancement and visitor management justification could be demonstrated.”
The submitted scheme includes landscape and biodiversity enhancement measures, with the landpods designed as reversible structures that can be stored in an existing on-site barn during the off-season.
“On balance, it is considered that the proposal would not result in unacceptable harm to the special qualities of the National Park and that the material considerations in favor of the proposal outweigh the identified policy tensions in this instance,” the report states.
If approved, the development could reflect a broader trend within the outdoor hospitality sector toward flexible, low-impact accommodation models that allow operators to diversify lodging options without significantly increasing visitor numbers.
For campground, glamping, and RV park operators, the proposal may also highlight how seasonal and reversible infrastructure can help address planning and environmental concerns in protected or sensitive landscapes while broadening accommodation offerings for changing traveler demand.
The application is recommended for delegated conditional approval following the completion of a public advertisement period related to the policy departure.