North Devon holiday park seeks year-round caravan use

The holiday park said there had been an increase in demand for short breaks in the autumn and winter

A holiday park that wants visitors to be able to stay year-round has applied to overturn a rule preventing it.

Golden Coast Sporting Villas Ltd has consent for its 80 caravans at Cleavewood Leisure Park in Woolacombe to be used from 15 March to 31 October.

It now wants permission to allow for "an unrestricted period of occupation" at the North Devon site.

The seasonal use rule was put in place in 1969 to ensure caravans were not used as permanent accommodation.

The park's agent, Laiser Planning, said the current planning condition was very dated and went beyond what was necessary to prevent permanent residential occupation of the caravans, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"It undermines the operator's business objective for a more secure and consistent year-round holiday operation and hampers the long-term viability and sustainability of Cleavewood Leisure Park," the agent said.

The holiday park company said the request to vary the 1969 planning permission had been prompted by an increase in demand for short breaks in the autumn and winter.

The planning application will be considered by North Devon Council at a later date.