Berrow’s Sandy Glade Holiday Park is seeking permission to open its accommodation to tourists all year round following an increase in demand.
The park, which is operated by John Fowler Holidays, is currently approved to operate from February 11th to January 9th in any one-year period.
But the company is seeking permission from Sedgemoor District Council to change the park’s operational licence to enable it to open from February 4th to January 2th.
A spokesperson for Sandy Glade Holiday Park says in their planning statement that changing the dates of the season will have ‘financial advantages’ as offsite facilities and attractions will provide ‘a broader spread of revenue’ to the community.
They add: “The proposed extension of the holiday period reflects the demand of the park caravan and lodge owners to use their holiday accommodation over the year period.”
“This would not require an extension to the number of days the site is operational but provides the site with more desirable times of year.”
“This reflects general trends within the holiday industry locally and nationally in that holiday makers are increasingly less likely to have a two week break in the middle of summer but are more likely to have several short breaks or long weekends spread throughout the year.”
“Much of the demand for holidays in the South West is for self-catering accommodation and the spread of this demand over the lower period enables use of the accommodation to the extended through the year.”
“The alterations to the dates of the season has financial advantages in terms of spin-off to offsite facilities and attractions providing a broader spread of revenue to the community and helping to reduce the disadvantages of seasonal employment including the difficulties of retaining trained and experienced staff.”
“The extension of the tourist season is supported by national planning policies. Despite the extending of the occupancy season the accommodation will remain solely for holiday occupation.”
Comments are welcome on the application until November 15th, 2019. To view the application or comment click here and access application number 05/19/00021.
