Camelot Caravan Park in Longtown, north Cumbria, has received planning approval to expand its site with 19 additional caravan units.
Cumberland Council approved the application on Monday, August 10, allowing the park to extend onto a flat area of grassland along its northeastern boundary. The proposed expansion site is bordered by woodland to the north, the existing caravan park to the east, an internal access road to the south, and the A7 to the west.
According to the planning application, the new units will follow the spacing pattern established across the existing park. Access to the extension will be provided through an existing road within Camelot Caravan Park, rather than creating a new access point.
A planning report submitted as part of the application noted that the existing park has operated on the adjacent land for a number of years. It also stated that the existing site benefits from road access to Longtown and Carlisle, with visibility onto the A7 between the two locations.
“The applicant currently runs the Camelot Caravan Park from the land adjacent to the application site. This has been in use as a caravan park for a number of years.
“The applicant would now like to extend to the existing site in the land to the north-east edge of the park.
“The access to the proposed site would be from an existing access road within the Camelot site. The main site has a good access with appropriate visibility onto the A7 between Longtown and Carlisle near Sandysyke.
“The majority of the units on the existing site are restricted to holiday accommodation by a condition of its 2015 planning permission. The applicant is aware that a similar restriction may be imposed on this proposed extension.”
The planning report also addressed the site’s relationship with surrounding properties and the landscape. According to CumbriaCrack, the extension will remain within existing boundaries formed by hedges, mature trees, and timber fencing. A landscape plan submitted with the application proposes additional planting to supplement existing vegetation and help limit the visual impact of the development.
“The application site will be enclosed by the existing boundaries which consist of hedges, mature trees and timber fences, and the application include a landscape plan that supplement the existing hedgerow and trees to reduce any impact of the proposed development.”
The report concluded that the extension would provide additional capacity at an established caravan park while making use of existing infrastructure and access arrangements.
“The proposed use will provide a suitable extension to a successful existing caravan site. The proposed location provides occupants with good road links to Longtown and Carlisle.
“The application site is well screened by existing vegetation and does not impact on any neighbouring properties. It is contended therefore that the proposed development is acceptable and is in accordance with both national and local planning policy and therefore should be approved.”
For caravan park operators, the approval illustrates several considerations that can influence expansion proposals, including the use of existing access infrastructure, integration with established site layouts, landscape screening, and planning conditions governing the use of accommodation.
The reference to the existing site’s 2015 holiday-use restriction also indicates that operators seeking additional pitches or units should assess whether similar occupancy conditions could apply to new areas of a park.
The 19-unit extension will increase Camelot Caravan Park’s accommodation capacity while retaining the site’s existing boundary treatments and access arrangements. With planning approval granted August 10, the proposal can now move forward subject to any conditions attached to the permission.