Plans for the redevelopment and extension of a popular holiday park in New Hedges have been submitted to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority.
The application (reference: NP/25/0149/FUL) by Hean Castle Estate, for Rowston Holiday Park (situated in the ward of St Mary Out Liberty, better known as New Hedges, on the outskirts of Tenby) is for the redevelopment and extension of the existing holiday park, to include - the installation of bases for the siting of caravans; demolition of buildings; and the conversion of an agricultural barn to a residential dwelling, with installation of roof-mounted solar PV panels; erection of a garage; and associated works including - access, car parking, hard and soft landscaping and infrastructure above and below ground.
A planning, design and access statement prepared by Lichfields on behalf of Hean Castle Estate to accompany the full application, states: ‘The focus of the planning application is the redevelopment of an existing park that will reduce the total number of pitches for holiday accommodation from 225 to 187, while making significant environmental enhancements to landscaping, visual effects, biodiversity and the highway network.
‘Substantial investment will be made by Hean Castle Estate that will result in the removal of dense and visually prominent caravans in linear layouts which will be replaced with lower density, relaxed layouts of muted colours that are embedded within extensive new native tree and hedgerow planting.
‘The shift to create a notably higher quality caravan park will attract new and repeat visitors across most of the year, reinforcing the tourist accommodation offer in the National Park, in line with the objectives of the Local Development Plan.
‘Pre-application engagement with the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority has confirmed that the principle of development is acceptable subject to detailed development management considerations.
‘Significant design and assessment work has been carried out to consider these matters and to ensure that the proposed development delivers positive outcomes for New Hedges and Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.’
Until recently, Rowston Holiday Park (a static caravan, touring and camping holiday park covering approximately 7ha of landscaped grounds) was operated under lease by a third party.
The application states that the Park’s layout, which includes dense, regimented rows of older static caravans - no longer meets the demands of the modern tourism industry, and the lack of any substantial landscaping on the Park means that it does not fit with the Estate’s ethos of maintaining a working landscape.
The lease to the previous operator ended in November 2019, since which time the Estate has been working towards the submission of this application with a substantial amount of work undertaken to ensure that Rowston Holiday Park contributes positively to the National Park from an environmental, social and economic perspective.
Hean Castle Estate states that it aspires for Rowston Holiday Park to provide an attractive, well-landscaped retreat with mature trees and hedgerows. The static caravans would be sold to private owners and would not be available for sub-let.
The application will be considered by PCNPA at a later date.