Love2Stay, a caravan and glamping park near Shrewsbury that opened in 2017, could be redeveloped into a residential “care village” for older residents under a new planning application submitted to Shropshire Council by Salop Leisure.
The proposal would see the existing tourism and leisure site converted into a development containing 118 homes alongside a range of community and wellness facilities targeted at residents aged 55 and older. The plans mark a potential change in direction for the award-winning destination, which expanded its accommodation offering in 2021 with the addition of glamping lodges.
According to planning documents submitted by Salop Leisure and its agents, Berrys, the company is seeking to reposition the site in response to changes in the touring caravan market and demographic trends in Shropshire.
Six days before news of the planning application emerged, Salop Leisure had publicly reported an increase in staycation bookings. However, documents filed with the council stated the business had experienced a “sustained decline in demand for the touring caravan use,” which it described as a significant issue because touring caravans formed a “key component of the site’s offer.”
Berrys told the BBC: “Usage of the site by tourers has slowed and shifting to unviability.”
The proposed redevelopment would retain and repurpose several existing amenities and infrastructure elements already in place at the site. Facilities outlined in the application include access to the existing lake, gym, café, and walking trails. Additional amenities proposed for residents include hot and cold-water pools, community gardens or allotments, pickleball or paddle courts, and a bowls club with a pavilion.
Love2Stay currently operates with a broad leisure-focused offering that includes an outdoor cold-water swimming pool, saunas, hot tubs, kayaking, a woodland school, and an assault course. Under the new proposal, many of the site’s landscaped and recreational features would remain integrated into the development.
The company said it had decided to “diversify and pivot,” citing both tourism market conditions and regional housing demand. Planning documents also pointed to a growing need for accommodation options for older adults within Shropshire.
The application stated the development would create a care-focused community “in a pleasant environment, to meet the needs of Shropshire’s aging population in a sensitive manner”.
For professionals in the outdoor hospitality and glamping sectors, the proposal highlights the ongoing pressure some operators are facing in the touring caravan segment, particularly in regions where customer demand patterns are changing.
At the same time, the plans illustrate how hospitality properties with established infrastructure, landscaping, and wellness amenities may be evaluated for alternative long-term uses, including residential, wellness, or age-focused living concepts.
The project may also prompt discussion within the industry about diversification strategies, land use flexibility, and the future viability of mixed accommodation models that rely heavily on touring caravan traffic.