Residents divided over plan to extend Haven holiday park season in Filey
A Filey caravan park’s plan to extend its annual season by a month has divided locals, who have said it could support the economy amid concerns about pressure on services.
Holiday giant Haven wants to open Primrose Valley Holiday Park near Filey from February 1 each year, allowing families to stay during the half-term break.
If approved, the change would extend the park’s season by almost a month, adding 29 extra operating days each year.
However, some residents and visitors have argued the scheme could put more pressure on the ecosystem and local services, while others have argued the plan would help the local economy grow.
One objector, Mark Fricker, said: “This will place undue strain on local infrastructure.
“The site is not suited to winter use.”
Joe Spivey, who supports the plan, stated: “I support this application in full.
“Nothing in the application is objectionable, and I believe it will be of benefit to the area to allow occupation for more of the year.”
The holiday park opens on March 1 and closes in early January for owners of static caravans.
Haven has said the move would help boost tourism, support local jobs and bring more visitors to the Scarborough area’s economy during what is traditionally one of the quietest times of the year.
Approval of the scheme would “help ensure that Haven continues to contribute to this growing domestic market, diversifies its operations sufficiently to capture changing tourism demands, and reinforces Haven’s role within Scarborough and to its local economy,” the company added.
However, Jane Marshall, who opposes the plan, said that extending the opening season would remove the period of respite experienced by nearby residents and could increase pressure on local services during the winter months.
She raised concerns about potential impacts on noise levels, rubbish, property security and anti-social behaviour, as well as the effect on roads, healthcare services and emergency responders.
Ms Marshall added that extended opening could reduce the opportunity for habitats and wildlife to recover during the quieter winter period, while some seasonal businesses may struggle to justify remaining open because of staffing and operating costs.
In a letter to the council, Simon Smithson said he “strongly supports” the plan because the Yorkshire coast is a tourist destination and “this would bring extra tourists to the area and extra money into the local economy”.
He added: “It would also provide a month’s extra wages for current employees at Haven. I see no downside to it.
“The facilities are there, so they should be used for as much of the year as possible.”
Under the proposal, guests would be able to arrive from February 1, allowing the park to capitalise on half-term holidays.
The application states that no new buildings are required and there would be no increase in the number of caravans on the site.
No changes are proposed to parking, drainage or the road network, while Haven says the plans would help support existing jobs rather than create new positions.
North Yorkshire Council has not set a date for deciding on the plans which are open to representations from the public.