Northam Farm Camping and Caravan Park, located off South Road in Brean between Weston-super-Mare and Highbridge, may soon expand by up to 60 new holiday pitches if approved by Somerset Council.
The site owner, David Scott, had previously proposed building 60 lodges on the site’s southern edge, but that application was withdrawn in December 2022. He has now resubmitted plans for the same location to accommodate the new pitches, with the council expected to reach a decision by late summer.
This expansion would place new lodge sites at the southernmost part of the campsite, bordered by Breans Sands Holiday Park and Brean Country Club. Access to the area will be extended from the existing north-western corner entrance, and a new pond is planned along the northern edge to improve drainage.
Mr. Scott emphasizes that the expansion responds to a local shortage of holiday accommodation caused by the closure of the Pontins Brean Sands Holiday Park, which is currently housing workers for the Hinkley Point C nuclear power project. The Pontins site’s closure has resulted in a loss of approximately 5,000 visitor bed spaces per week, impacting local visitor numbers and business revenue.
A spokesperson for ARA Architecture, representing Mr. Scott, noted that this proposal is a sensible and contained extension of an important tourism facility within an area where tourism plays a vital role in the economy. The new lodges are seen as a balanced and sustainable way to address the shortfall in visitor accommodation and support local businesses.
Although the campsite is situated in flood zone 3, identified by the Environment Agency as having the highest flood risk, Mr. Scott argues that the temporary and removable nature of the lodges minimizes flood risk and will not increase flooding elsewhere.
Somerset Council is anticipated to make a decision on the planning application within the next six months. It remains unclear whether the decision will be taken publicly by the planning committee north, which handles major applications in the former Sedgemoor area, or through delegated authority by planning officers.