THE owners of a caravan park have resubmitted plans to restructure to enable the site to be used year round and help stabilise the business.

Mr and Mrs Lister of Holebeck Touring Park, in Wolsingham, have applied for planning permission for seasonal winter use of 54 touring caravan plots.

Planning permission was previously sought to increase the total capacity of the site to 97 units however the application was later withdrawn in 2018 after consultation with Durham County Council’s planning department regarding landscape impact and highways.

A statement submitted with the application reads: “The proposed development is to restructure the internal layout of the site whilst bolstering the previously consented landscape plan in order to release the area for winter use.

“Holebeck Touring Site is a fully functioning caravan touring site particularly popular with seasonal visitors to the Durham Dales with a great emphasis on consistent trade and repeat business.

“Over time, the site has had to adapt to the pressure of customers wanting to return on a seasonal basis, and particularly to the same plot on the site. With this pressure, the business sought to adapt the site for seasonal pitches whilst also keeping areas available for touring units and tents to come on and off the site with ease.”

There are currently 54 seasonal users of the total consented and 21 tents. The seasonal pitches are currently spread across the site with the touring caravans and tents located closest to the entrance.

The statement continues: “Approving this application will permit the operators to retain up to 54 touring caravans on site in the winter months in a defined location, thus allowing the regular customers to return to their caravans, albeit less frequently than in the summer months. This will stabilise the business whilst also limiting the landscape impact when the foliage reduces on the surrounding trees.”

Members of the public have until Thursday, October 10 to comment on the application which can be viewed online at publicaccess.durham.gov.uk/online-applications/ with reference DM/19/02848/FPA