Back to the drawing board for £9m North Yorkshire holiday park

PLANS for a £9m holiday park have had to be revised following concerns from residents, cutting the development by more than two thirds.

North Yorkshire farmer Alan Petch from Great Ayrton has reduced his plans for 179 chalets at the Angrove Country Park site, located between Great Ayton and Stokesley.

Now, after consultation with district and parish councils as well as feedback from residents, Mr Petch has re-submitted a reduced scheme for 54 chalets.

Hambleton District Council will consider the plans in December. If approved, work would start in spring 2017.

It was initially planned that the green energy park, which featured a solar park and emphasis on tree-planting and wildlife, would create 160 jobs.

The new development would be situated on the Coast to Coast cycle route and Mr Petch said it had the potential to bring in £4m annually in tourism spend for the area.

Planning consultant, Steve Hesmondhalgh, who has advised Mr Petch on this proposal and the previous scheme for Angrove Country Park, said: “We have always been keen to work with the council planners and this revised scheme will cover around half the area of the previous one with a third of the number of chalets but still deliver great benefits to the local area.

“We hope that when this goes before Hambleton District Council’s planning committee later this year they will agree that this is a positive method of farm diversification that will benefit the local area by delivering both tourism jobs and much needed accommodation for visitors.”

Alan Petch said: “We want to work closely with local residents, businesses and councils to ensure that these plans benefit the whole community. We’ve spent a lot time revising the scheme and want to reassure people that we have addressed specific concerns and, hence, have reduced our plans. Angrove Country Park would still provide a boost for tourism and jobs in the area but the smaller scale would be even more picturesque and spacious.”