Caravan park extension 'should be refused' over overdevelopment fears

Contentious plans to relocate 47 caravan pitches to a Welsh hamlet have been recommended for refusal. The pitches would be created at Ocean Heights Leisure Park in Maen-y-groes, Ceredigion , near the seaside town of New Quay. Ocean Heights operator Vale Holiday Parks wants to relocate 17 caravans from Wern Mill Caravan Park, in Gilfachrheda, and 30 from The Village Holiday Park, in Cross Inn. Although Vale Holiday Parks claims the development “would form a natural extension" to Ocean Heights, there were concerns from Llanllwchaearn community council that it would "double the area of the site". Its objection goes on: “The council recognised the strong opinion expressed by the residents of Maen-y-groes against this application.” Other objections raised concerns over road safety, impact on wastewater infrastructure, and claims it would be a “massive overdevelopment”. The application was previously recommended for refusal ahead of Ceredigion council's March and May committee meetings but was then withdrawn from the agenda for those meetings due to further information being sent to members. A Ceredigion council planning officer said the site is "not considered to function as a sustainable location due to its limited active travel connectivity, lack of local services, and continued reliance on private car travel". The proposal had not demonstrated the development "is small scale or meets a specific local need", said the officer, who added it would increase the number of static caravans in the coastal area. The officer also found the development would cause "clear landscape harm" at Ocean Heights. “The proposal represents a significant expansion of the existing holiday park onto undeveloped greenfield land at the rural edge of Maen‑y‑Groes, a settlement with no services and limited active travel connections,” the officer said in their report. The loss of "best and most versatile" agricultural land had not been justified by any overriding need, the report concluded. The application has been recommended for refusal at the June 10 meeting of the development management committee. For the biggest stories in Wales first sign up to our daily newsletter here .