A proposal for a 100-pitch static caravan holiday park near the edge of the Lake District National Park has been resubmitted to planners after an earlier application was withdrawn in 2025 following local opposition.
The new application has been lodged with Westmorland and Furness Council and seeks permission to change the use of approximately 10 hectares of agricultural land east of Whitbarrow Farm, near Berrier, for the development of up to 100 static caravan pitches.
The original proposal attracted objections from local residents, who raised concerns about increased traffic, pressure on nearby communities, and the site’s proximity to the boundary of the Lake District National Park. The application was withdrawn in August 2025 before a planning decision was made.
According to a planning statement submitted with the revised proposal, the latest scheme differs significantly from the previous application and features a “very different layout.” The site is located north of the B5288, approximately 400 meters from the A66, and is situated near National Cycle Network Route 71, part of the coast-to-coast cycling route.
The development would include up to 100 static caravan pitches, a reception and manager’s unit, parking facilities, landscaping, drainage infrastructure, and land set aside for potential future recreational amenities. Planning documents state that caravans have been arranged in groups that follow the natural contours of the site, with additional planting proposed to help reduce visual impact.
A transport statement accompanying the application estimates that the holiday park would generate approximately 254 vehicle trips per weekday and 290 vehicle trips on weekends. The report concludes: “The predicted development vehicle generations are modest, and are unlikely to have a material impact on the B5288.”
Regarding the nearby A66, the statement indicates that the development would result in an average annual daily traffic increase of around two percent. It states this increase would “not likely be discernible against daily traffic fluctuations for a major A road.”
Traffic concerns were among the key issues raised during the previous application process, according to Notícias e estrelas. One objector said: “Local infrastructure cannot cope with any more large developments – the A66 at Junction 40 and Kemplay Bank Roundabout is blocked a lot of the time as it is.
“More traffic through local villages, Penruddock, Motherby and Greystoke, which are already been used as shortcuts when the A66 is congested.”
Another resident stated: “The narrow road cannot support that amount of traffic.”
In response to transportation concerns, the applicant has proposed a range of measures designed to encourage alternative travel options. These include on-site cycle hire facilities, the potential introduction of new bus stops near the site entrance, pedestrian access improvements, and consideration of a visitor minibus service.
The planning statement also argues that the development would provide economic benefits through visitor spending and employment opportunities while offering a different style of accommodation from existing holiday parks in the Whitbarrow area. The applicant further contends that the site could help distribute visitor activity beyond the Lake District National Park itself by providing a base for travelers exploring other nearby destinations.
For professionals in the outdoor hospitality and caravan sectors, the proposal highlights the growing importance of site design, transportation planning, and community engagement when developing new accommodation projects near protected landscapes.
As planning authorities continue to scrutinize tourism developments in environmentally sensitive areas, operators may increasingly need to demonstrate how new projects can balance economic benefits, visitor demand, transportation impacts, and landscape considerations.
Westmorland and Furness Council is expected to review the resubmitted application as part of the local planning process. A decision timeline has not yet been announced.