Holiday park planned for new forest

The holiday park will be built around a central hub consisting of a spa, shop and other facilities for tourists

A holiday park could be built inside a newly created forest if plans are approved.

The proposals for Greencroft Estate in Lanchester, County Durham, consist of 140 lodges within a new 290-hectare (717-acre) woodland called Greencroft Forest Park.

The woodland is being developed by True North alongside the Forestry Commission.

True North said the holiday park would bring "high-quality overnight holiday accommodation" to the area and help boost the local economy.

Designs submitted to Durham County Council show the lodges would be built around a central building located next to the site of the former Greencroft Hall.

If approved, the resort will have a shop, spa, swimming pool, fitness studios and picnic huts, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

In a planning statement, True North said some of the lodges would "be set within the existing woodland" while others would lie within "newly planted and landscaped cells".

It added: "A typical stay would be two, four, or six nights, allowing for visitors to explore the site and surrounding towns."

Greencroft Forest Park will mostly be made of conifer and broadleaf woodland.

It is hoped the forest will improve biodiversity, flood mitigation and air quality in the area, while also providing a boost to the tourism industry.

The wider afforestation plans are subject to a separate planning application.