Plans to relocate 47 caravan pitches to Ocean Heights Holiday Park near New Quay in Ceredigion are expected to be refused when Ceredigion County Council’s development management committee meets on May 13.
The proposal, submitted by Vale Holiday Parks Ltd through agent Geraint John Planning Ltd, seeks permission to transfer 17 caravans from Wern Mill Caravan Park in Gilfachrheda and 30 caravans from The Village Holiday Park in Cross Inn to Ocean Heights Holiday Park in Maenygroes. The site lies approximately 1.6 miles from the seaside town of New Quay along the A486.
According to planning documents submitted with the application, the relocated caravans “would form a natural extension to the existing Ocean Heights Park.”
The application has drawn objections from local residents and community representatives since it was lodged in 2025, with concerns focused on traffic safety, pressure on wastewater infrastructure, visual impact, and the scale of the proposed expansion.
New Quay Town Council did not formally discuss the application because several councilors declared interests, leaving the authority without a quorum. However, Llanllwchaearn Community Council opposed the proposal, arguing that it “would double the area of the site” and citing multiple concerns about the development’s impact on the surrounding area. The council concluded:
“The council recognized the strong opinion expressed by the residents of Maen-y-groes against this application.”
Planning officers previously recommended refusal ahead of a March committee meeting, although the matter was deferred after additional information was submitted following publication of the agenda. In the latest report prepared for the May 13 meeting, officers again recommend refusal, citing conflicts with both local and national planning policy, according to Herald.Wales.
The report states that Ocean Heights “is not considered to function as a sustainable location, due to its limited active travel connectivity, lack of local services, and continued reliance on private car travel.” Officers also concluded that the proposal failed to demonstrate a specific local need or qualify under rural enterprise provisions outlined in Welsh planning guidance.
The report further noted that the scheme “would increase the number of static caravans within the coastal area and would not result in any significant and permanent visual improvement to Wern Mill.”
While some limited visual improvements could occur at The Village Holiday Park, officers argued that these would be outweighed by landscape impacts at Ocean Heights and potential negative effects on tourism facilities in Cross Inn.
Planning officers also raised concerns over the loss of greenfield land and agricultural land classified as Best and Most Versatile (BMV). The report said the proposal “represents a significant expansion of the existing holiday park onto undeveloped greenfield land at the rural edge of Maen-y-Groes, a settlement with no services and limited active travel connections.”
For professionals in the outdoor hospitality and caravan sectors, the case highlights the increasing scrutiny local authorities are applying to expansion projects involving rural and coastal destinations.
Operators pursuing redevelopment or pitch relocation strategies may face growing pressure to demonstrate sustainability credentials, transportation access, infrastructure capacity, and measurable community benefits, particularly in environmentally sensitive or high-tourism regions.
The development management committee is scheduled to consider the application on May 13, with planning officers recommending that members refuse the proposal.