‘Pods’ part of Devon Holiday Park upgrade

Council says yes to holiday park proposals

Owners of a South Devon holiday park can go ahead with the next stage of a multi-million-pound nationwide project.

The Golden Sands holiday park at Dawlish Warren is one of more than 50 owned by the Park Holidays group around the country.

The group is upgrading many of its parks, and Teignbridge Council’s planning committee has now given it the green light for a project at the Golden Sands.

The park’s swimming pool will get a roof, the clubhouse, reception and shop will be revamped and a new crazy golf course and activity centre installed.

Park Holidays also applied for the council’s blessing for 25 timber camping ‘pods’ at Golden Sands. The application is retrospective, as the pods were put in place between 2018 and 2022.

Cllr Linda Goodman-Bradbury (Lib Dem, Dawlish NE) said it was ‘disappointing’ that the application was retrospective, and said that while she liked the look of the pods, local people were concerned about drainage from the site.

“My concern is about the footprint, and where the water is going,” she said. “Dawlish Warren is very prone to flooding.”

Chartered town planner Robert Gandy, speaking on behalf of Park Holidays, said the swimming pool and clubhouse plan continued a multi-million-pound investment in upgrading and improving the company’s portfolio of parks.

He said the pool would be for the use of park guests only, and would not be public.

On the subject of the pods, he said the field in question already had planning permission for 58 caravan and touring pitches, meaning the 25 pods would mean less impact on drainage.

Park Holidays describes the pods as “an exciting new type of accommodation designed to offer an alternative to camping and touring.”

Each one sleeps up to four people and comes with double glazing, insulation and heating.