Revised holiday park plans criticised by campaign group

Revised plans to develop 101 holiday units and other facilities at a country park in Haveringland have come under fire from a group opposing the development.
 

Image: Line in the Sand

 
Alton Towers founder John Broome had proposed to build 280 units across Haveringland Hall Country Park, including wooden lodges, treehouses and tipis, but the initial plans were met with strong local objections.
 
There are currently 133 units on the site – 84 static caravans, mostly with permitted holiday use, and 49 residential units.
 
The 101 new units planned would be 43 single-storey lodges, 25 two-storey lodges, 12 treehouses and 21 tipis.
 
The Line in the Sand group, which includes local residents and representatives from parishes likely to be most affected by the plans, has vowed to oppose any further development at the 111-acre site.
 
The campaign group has produced a summary of the 21 separate application documents so far produced and given its initial assessment of each of them.
 
Organiser Nigel Boldero, who is also chair of Haveringland Parish Meeting, said: “These are some of the sloppiest proposals I have come across.
 
“The overall layout plan is not to scale, and we have already had comments from existing owners on site that some of the planned locations for additional units impinge on their and other plots. The applicants couldn’t even state the correct number of units being proposed.
 
“Our 10-page summary and assessment show how the various documents and plans are inconsistent and use a range of very questionable calculations and inappropriate data.”
 
Mr Boldero, a former planner, reserved some of the group’s harshest criticisms for plans to make the development “self-contained” by proposing a list of on-site attractions and amenities, including two restaurants, a bakery, a butcher’s shop, a farmers’ market, tea rooms, a hair salon, and a gym and fitness facility.
 
“These are the sorts of enterprises that already struggle to survive in our towns and villages,” he said. “This is a fantasy put forward to suggest that those visiting the site would just stay there and not venture out to visit other areas and attractions and all that would bring in terms of traffic and pollution.”
 
Line in the Sand, which has received advice from planners, a former planning inspector and other experts, said the planned layout of the new units would result in the removal of around 200 trees, many with preservation orders on them, and the creation of 200 car parking spaces.
 
The group said the development would nearly double carbon emissions and bring with it associated air, light and noise pollution.
 
The revised plans are due to be considered by Broadland District Council’s Planning Committee on 14 July.
 
Comments on the plans, which can be viewed on Broadland’s Planning Explorer (application number 20191426), can be made by 30 June.
 
The campaign group has also set up an online petition to oppose the plans.
 
See our earlier story:

 

Aerial view of Haveringland Hall Country Park. Photo: Nigel Boldero

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