Plans to expand a caravan park in south Cumbria have been given the go-ahead following the staycation boom after the Covid-19 pandemic.
Westmorland and Furness Council has approved plans from FE & CM Robinson & Son has to add 15 new plots for caravans on the site at Farletonview Caravan Park on Warth Sutton Farm, near Crooklands.
The firm has also been granted retrospective planning permission for five pitches that have been in use since 2014.
The application said: “The site is a thriving, well established holiday caravan site, with 29 pitches, all of which are occupied by touring caravans. Each pitch is let to an individual/family for their own use, on annual contracts.
“The site has a waiting list for annual pitches. In the staycation boom that has occurred since the pandemic, the demand for pitches has grown significantly and demand is easily outstripping supply on this high-quality site.”
It added the caravan site was a farm diversification project that provided vital income to the business.
Planning documents said: “The need to expand is also rooted in the need to support the farming enterprise. The loss of EU subsidies has meant farms are having to further diversify their income. This scheme adds important income to the farm without removing valuable or useful farm land.
“The scheme also supports the fishery business, which is very important for local jobs and the local environment. Those staying on the site invariably use the fishery and this provides a more consistent income stream for the fishery, encouraging uses outside of the evenings and weekends when it is more popular.”
