Wychavon District Council is considering a planning application that would expand a caravan site near Evesham, with proposals seeking permission for additional market caravan pitches alongside previously approved Gypsy and Traveller accommodations.
The application relates to Siding Cottage on Pitwell Lane and proposes a total of 33 caravan pitches across the site. Under the plans, 27 would be allocated as residential market caravan pitches, while six would be redesigned Gypsy and Traveller pitches.
Each of the Gypsy and Traveller pitches would include a static caravan, a touring caravan, a day room, and designated parking spaces.
According to the EveshamJournal, the proposal would add 27 market caravan pitches together with associated hardstanding, parking, and open space. The application also includes part-retrospective elements, seeking approval for development that has already commenced on portions of the site.
Applicant Adam Smith previously secured planning permission for six Gypsy and Traveller pitches through an earlier application. Earlier this year, Wychavon District Council issued an enforcement notice citing an “unauthorised material change of use of the land to a caravan site.” That enforcement notice was subsequently quashed on appeal, allowing the current planning process to move forward.
Planning documents describe the surrounding area as containing a combination of holiday caravan parks, agricultural land, solar farms, and commercial premises. A holiday caravan park is located immediately north of the site, with another similar development to the south.
The proposed layout allocates approximately 2,685 square meters, or 27% of the site, to green infrastructure, while 1,010 square meters, representing about 10% of the development area, would be reserved for recreation and landscaped amenity space.
The application also states that the site is partially screened by established hedgerows and sits approximately 95 meters back from the main road.
Aldington Parish Council has raised concerns about the retrospective aspects of the proposal and its potential impact on the local planning process and traffic conditions.
The parish council said: “Part of this application seeks retrospective permission for pitches already ‘commenced’ without approval.
“This is relevant because it suggests development has proceeded ahead of, or in a form different from, any consent that exists – the council should scrutinise closely whether the retrospective element matches what was actually built, rather than treating it as a formality.
“Granting retrospective permission sets a precedent that undermines the planning process, rewarding development carried out before consent is secured.
“There is already excessive traffic on this road [and] more caravans will only make the problem worse.”
The application remains under consideration by Wychavon District Council, which will assess the proposal against local planning policies before reaching a decision.
For operators across the caravan and outdoor hospitality sectors, the proposal highlights the continuing role of local planning processes in balancing accommodation demand with community concerns. Applications that combine new development with retrospective elements often receive closer scrutiny, particularly regarding infrastructure capacity, traffic management, and compliance with planning requirements.
The outcome of this application may offer insight into how local authorities evaluate mixed-use caravan developments that incorporate both market pitches and Gypsy and Traveller accommodations in areas where caravan tourism is already established.