Caravan park near Filey could get permission for 50 new pitches if plans approved

Councillors have been asked to approve the expansion and placement of an additional 50 pitches at a caravan park near Filey.

Ian Palmer’s application for the expansion and reorganisation of the Lebberston Touring Park proposes increasing the number of caravan pitches from 125 to 175.

The caravan park, on Filey Road, Gristhorpe, is located in the open countryside to the south of Lebberston village.

It currently has a reception and a shop, a dog-walking nature area, and three amenity buildings.

Plans submitted to the council propose expanding the site onto an area of land located to the northwest of the existing caravan park where 20 new pitches would be added.

Additionally, the caravan storage area would be changed to accommodate 12 fixed pitches.

The layout of the existing pitches would also be amended to add 18 additional pitches for increased capacity.

The plan has received support and objections from members of the public and the parish council also objected citing “overdevelopment, flooding and highway safety”.

However, the Highway Authority did not object to the plans.

In a letter to the council, local business owner Daniel Thompson said: “As a small business owner who benefits greatly and directly from camps growing and doing well I have to support the plans being presented.”

Resident Michelle Ford objected to the plan as she said she was “concerned about an influx of people to this area as there are no resources”.

She added: “We have one garage and one public house in Gristhorpe, with no public footpath to reach either and people using cars to access these does not fit with the green agenda and impacts the welfare of the planet”.

No new buildings have been proposed and the proposed new roads and individual pitch parking would be constructed of tarmac whilst the new touring caravan pitches would be built of crushed stone and gravel.

Planning officers said that the increase of approximately 11 per cent in the area of the site “is considered not to be significant enough to cause detrimental impact on its countryside location”.

The plan has been recommended for approval and councillors will make a decision at a planning meeting on Thursday, December 14.