A caravan park in Northumberland received approval for a significant expansion, despite local concerns. Filed by the owners of Felmoor Park near Felton, the expansion, which will double the size of the existing site, includes plans to extend the site by an additional 139 pitches.
The committee’s planners had recommended approval for the project, and the vote to approve the expansion passed with five votes in favor and one abstention.
Richard Humphreys, the planning agent defending the proposal, pointed out that the Environment Agency and local flood authority had no objections to the plans. He further argued that the Northumberland Local Plan, which covers the county, supports the expansion of existing caravan parks.
The planning agent also emphasized the economic benefits of the project, stating that the expansion would create 30 to 40 full-time-equivalent jobs.
However, Cllr Doug Green, representing Thirston Parish Council, argued that the expansion violated the area’s neighborhood plan, which opposes any enlargement of holiday parks in the parish. He emphasized that approving the development would undermine local democratic processes.
Green also raised concerns about the park’s entrance from the A1, describing it as “an accident waiting to happen,” citing potential safety hazards. “The application does not comply with the Thirston Neighborhood Plan which states that expansion of existing holiday parks will not be supported. Approving this application would go against the democratic process,” he said, as reported by Northumberland Gazette on November 13.
Humphreys noted that the Thirston Neighborhood Plan was adopted before the Northumberland Local Plan, meaning the latter supersedes the former in planning decisions.
