Plans approved to add a whopping 1,000 extra caravans to popular Northampton holiday park despite fierce opposition

Plans to add more than 1,000 caravans at a busy holiday park in Northampton have been APPROVED despite fierce objection from locals.

Plans have been approved this month (March) to allow Billing Aquadrome to accommodate an extra 1,000 caravans on its site.

Billing Aquadrome owners, Royale Resorts, submitted plans to West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) in November to increase its site capacity from 1,755 caravans to 3,100.

There was previously a cap of 1,755 static caravans on 212 acres of land at the site. However there was 64.2 acres of land without a cap, which is where the extra caravans could be situated.

However, Royale Resorts said in planning papers: “The applicant is not committing to station that number of caravans, the applicant simply wants to confirm a site capacity for the purposes of valuation, based on an industry-standard density and taking into account undevelopable areas.”

A spokesperson from RoyaleResorts, said: “Thanks to unprecedented demand for Staycations in the UK, RoyaleResorts are delighted with this decision to enable us to increase holiday homes at Billing Aquadrome to 3,104 up from 2126. Not only does this allow us to offer even more fantastic holidays at Billing Aquadrome in the future, but it will boost the local economy as our guests will enjoy the local shops and attractions in the area”.

Objections

Ecton Parish Council (EPC) has fiercely opposed the plans ever since they were first submitted.

Before plans were approved, Ecton Parish Council said: “EPC believe the council needs to do more to not grant the certificate. We feel that the applicant are chancing the planning rules here somewhat and we feel the council needs to do more to address this.”

However, now plans have been approved, EPC has gone on to heavily criticise WNC.

An EPC spokesman said: "EPC has never been consulted on the expansion of the site, and we only found out and submitted our comments about expansion to WNC after one of our villagers mentioned it to us. This is the second classic example of WNC not being courteous to us, the parish council and not letting us know their proposals / outcomes which affect us, the village of Ecton.

"We as a council believe WNC has not taken into account properly the traffic situation into and out of the site and additional traffic on the junction of Lower Ecton Lane, which is already dangerous at times. Also additional owners are sure to own vehicles, so this also increases the potential of Ecton becoming a rat run between the A4500 and there.”

WNC response

Cllr Rebecca Breese, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, Built Environment and Rural Affairs, said: “This was not a planning application, it was an application for a Lawful Development Certificate which formally recognises what development can take place on the site under permissions previously granted.

“As this was an application for an LDC, consultation is not required and it’s not possible for WNC to consider matters such as traffic impact or parking.”

In September 2021, Royale Group, the parent company of Royale Resorts, bought Billing Aquadrome and its sister site, Cogenhoe Mill, for an undisclosed fee.