A WEST Somerset caravan park is planning a huge expansion which it said would improve the district’s tourism offer for visitors.

Home Park Caravan Park, in Blue Anchor, was last year given planning permission by default for touring caravans, camping, and car boot sale activities on part of its site when it showed it had already been operating for at least 10 years.

Now, the business, which is part of Brean-based Somerset Leisure, has applied to change the use of one the fields to allow 60 static caravans for all-year-round use with people able to live in them for up to four months at a time.

Planning consultant Michael Shepherd, of Shattock Associates, said the touring caravans and tents would be moved to another of the site’s fields.

Mr Shepherd said the expansion was needed to make the holiday park more viable and all-year use of the caravans would maximise the use of the site as many people chose to visit Somerset out of the main summer months and year-round occupancy levels had increased.

He said: “The project involves a huge investment by the applicant to improve the tourism offer available to the district with opportunities arising for the local economy, local contractors, as well as additional secure full-time employment opportunities in the tourism industry.

“Home Farm is an under-developed tourism facility in the area that requires future investment to reach its full potential.”

Mr Shepherd said the development would lead to economic growth for the area and create jobs both on and off site and would also boost trade for the nearby Smugglers Inn public house and Driftwood Cafe.

He said planning policies were to support development which helped the tourism industry, and Home Farm was ‘in fact, at the centre of the tourism industry in the West Somerset district’.

The expansion would complement local tourism services and facilities, in particular those in Minehead and Watchet, by accommodating existing demand for accommodation rather than generating new, unsustainable transport patterns.

Mr Shepherd said tourism generated £1.28 billion for the Somerset economy, but satisfaction levels for visitors to the county was only 43 per cent compared to 66 per cent for the wider Westcountry.

“It is important therefore that the quality of the tourism offer available is improved,” he said.

“Local people increasingly recognise the importance of tourism in providing them with services, facilities, and experiences that they can benefit from and enjoy.

Mr Shepherd said Home Farm was close to the main West Somerset tourist towns of Minehead and Watchet, the coastline, and Exmoor and the Quantock Hills, and was accessible by bus and train.

Up to four new full-time jobs would be created while the extra traffic movements resulting from the development were estimated to be only about 15 per hour.

Mr Shepherd said: “The proposal supports economic growth, is sustainable, respects the character of the countryside, and helps develop a prosperous rural economy.

“The holiday park to be created improves the quality and diversity of the tourism product available in West Somerset, bring jobs to Minehead and the surrounding settlements, and includes improvements to the landscape and the existing holiday park.”

Somerset Council, which will decide the planning application, is asking for any public comments on the plans to be submitted by October 24.