Award-Winning Caravan Park in Cannock Chase Expands

An award-winning Cannock Chase holiday park has recently won its bid to build new static caravan sites.

Cannock Chase District Council last year denied permission for Silver Trees Holiday Park to extend due to its position within the West Midlands Green Belt. However, the plans received support locally, and a councilor purchased a caravan in the park following a visit to the site.

The Rugeley site, which received its busiest summer season last year in more than two decades, also requested permission to alter two of its areas to accommodate static caravans instead of touring caravans since tourer pitches haven’t been available since 2003.

This year, a new application was made to the council with a new park design to allow up to 103 static caravans instead of 40 touring caravans. A park extension was suggested to allow for further 12 holiday static caravans.

The planning officers recommended the recent plans for refusal as it was deemed inappropriate for development within the Green Belt.

However, members of the planning committee believed that the plan’s advantages, such as support for the local rural economy and ongoing work at the site to boost sustainability and biodiversity, outweighed potential harm and voted to approve the application.

Councilor Paul Witton said that the extension will only have minimal impact, and the site will not be “visually unattractive.”

Councilor Andrea Muckley disagrees, stating that they are blessed to have the open space in Green Belt, and if there are no special circumstances, it will be against the rules, and building on it would be a crime.

Planning committee member Lisa Wilson supported the application but did not partake in the committee debate or vote.

“I visited the site last year on a site visit, and I was so impressed I purchased a caravan the day after,” she said.

“It doesn’t have any facilities, and there is no shop on there. It has very strict rules – you can’t drive your car on there after a certain time in the evening. Tourism needs are not being met in the area by any stretch of the imagination. We have lots of weekend visitors, but we don’t have the space for them to stay. The patch of land where these caravans are going is not visible from outside the site. It’s not going to be an eyesore.”

Silver Trees has been in existence since 1949. Recently, its current owners won gold in the David Bellamy Conservation Awards for their environmental work.

“It is a family business we have owned for 21 years this coming December, and we live on the park. Things have moved on, and customer expectations are greater now for bigger and more luxurious units, which is why we are here today,” said Trevor Barber, one of the owners of Silver Trees.

“The reason for acquiring the field for 12 pitches is to satisfy the demand for larger holiday homes and to protect the unique peaceful nature. It’s not an open space. It is surrounded on four sides by existing hedgerows. Since we took ownership, the wildlife has blossomed. We have a nature reserve, and it is a sanctuary for deer, birds, bats, and invertebrates. We have a dedicated wildlife champion. Over the years, we have committed to engage with the community, and we have established a sustainable business that lives in harmony with our Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty surroundings.”

This article originally appeared on StaffordshireLive.