Plans for new caravan park at nursery

If granted, the company believe the scheme would boost the local economy of nearby businesses struggling to keep up with the demands of the 'internet age'.

Worcester Caravan Sales, owners and operators of a number of caravan parks across Worcestershire, have applied to Shropshire Council for permission to turn Burford Nurseries near Tenbury Wells in to a high quality holiday park.

The nursery is set over eight acres and had been put up for sale in 2017. However, no buyer interested in carrying on the nursery business was forthcoming and Worcester Caravan Sales bought the site with the intention of redeveloping it.

In order to regenerate the site, the company is seeking permission to build 40 lodge caravans on the northern end of the plot, renovate the nursery's current cafe into a reception area and create a park shop, and cafe-bistro.

There would also be extensive landscaping to the area.

A design and access statement prepared by GVA Grimley Limited acting on behalf of Worcester Caravan Sales said: "Currently the site is in use as a garden centre and nursery that is no longer viable in the face of larger destination garden centres, such as the nearby Burford House Garden Centre.

"The proposal would replace this ailing business with a high quality holiday park that will bring in tourists from a much wider geographic to the area that may not have otherwise visited bring new tourist accommodation which appears to be unique to the local area and will help boost spending at the shops, pubs and restaurants in the nearby settlements of Burford and Tenbury Wells which are all facing the challenges of adapting to changing consumer habits brought on by the internet age.

"Given that the site is currently in use as a nursery, it is not considered that the number of visitors to the site specifically would increase due to the proposed use for holiday caravans. An analysis of peak travel generation concludes that the peak traffic generated by the holiday lodges is likely to be far less than that generated by the nursery when fully operational, particularly at weekends. The cumulative impact of the proposed caravan site in replacing the established nursery would not harm the natural or historic assets of the area, road network, and would not be over intensification of the site, particularly as only half of the site is going to be occupied with caravans."

The matter will go before the planning department later this year.