By Kayla Harriss
Revised plans to expand a holiday park branded “excessive” have come back to the table after a council shot down the original scheme.
Bosses at Preston Park unveiled rehashed proposals for 110 more caravan pitches on farmland in Manston after the first bid was quashed by Thanet District Council (TDC).
The park off Preston Road is open year-round and already hosts 202 static caravans and lodges.
The authority rejected owner Kent Leisure Park’s expansion plans in July amid concerns over losing farmland and the area becoming “a perpetual building site”.
But Kent Leisure has now submitted a tweaked scheme but is proposing the same number of new plots to be added to the existing 202 at the site near Ramsgate.
Urban Surveying and Design architect Andy Godden, representing the applicants, told KentOnline that “new evidence” supports the latest bid, designed to “provide a lot more to the local economy than previously stated”.
Fellow architect Archie Lucas added: “We were extremely shocked to find out [the application was] refused the first time, considering we had the recommendation for approval from the case officer themselves.”
Mr Lucas added results from subsequent studies show that building on the success of the site means “the benefits outweigh the harm”.
He added: “The site will be engulfed in trees. We also had some work carried out to display the land is not great for agricultural purposes.
“There were comments made in the committee meeting about how parking along the road will be insufficient, causing more traffic to build up but traffic statements disprove this.”
The application maintains the site, the size of five football pitches, complete with 168 new parking spaces, bin stores, hardscaping and landscaping will, if approved, continue to bring tourism.
“The layout of the proposed development has been carefully considered,” the design and access statement says.
“A three-metre wide bund will be formed around all boundaries to assist with screening the new caravan park.
“The site is currently being used as farmland bounded by trees and hedging – access will be provided through Preston Park.”
When TDC rejected the previous plans, Cllr Mike Garner (Green) told the chamber: “My main issue is that this application would result in the significant loss of agricultural land and significant harm to the countryside.
“We often look at applications for housing on agricultural land allocated in the Local Plan, so we don’t have the option to refuse on the loss of agricultural land.
“In this case, it isn’t allocated, and it is within our power to refuse unless benefits are provided, and I don’t think it’s been demonstrated.
“I don’t think we have any choice but to recommend refusal.”
Speaking after the meeting he said the scheme would pose “significant harm to the countryside” and felt there were insufficient benefits.
Manston Parish Council labelled the project “excessive” and urged TDC to reject it.
Kent Leisure, which also runs Dog and Duck Leisure Park in Plucks Gutter between Monkton and Preston, hopes to create five full-time jobs with its latest bid, which the district council is expected to decide on in January.
