Paultons Park have submitted a planning application to construct a holiday village, which will see the creation of a resort offering by installing 85-95 units of lodge-style accommodation.
The proposed development will be situated adjacent to the theme park and car park on the land beside the existing Edge and Cobra attractions, housing approximately 700 guests at a time via a mix of 2, 3, and 4-bed self-catering units, including accessible units. Guests staying in the holiday village will have access to several facilities, such as a restaurant for catering options, a shop building providing convenience food and essentials, and a games room providing activities. There will also be opportunities for light events and entertainment in the proposed entertainment room overlooking the village square to keep guests busy.
The arrival experience into the holiday village will consist of a welcome building and reception area, with a gateway building providing an arrival and foyer space for resort quests and a drop-off area for bags. Existing car park spaces will be repurposed for use by resort guests, being located near the welcome building. A secondary entrance into the main theme park is also being incorporated, making it easily accessible from the village via a short walk to ensure the experience is convenient.
The design has been said to be inspired aesthetically by a ‘Scandinavian village’, with a preference for a rustic and traditional styled approach over a contemporary modern look. This will allow it to blend in with its surroundings, with the aim being to extend the woodland to create meadows encompassing a naturalistic look. The planning application provides a selection of images that will inspire the accommodation itself, with there being a range of lodges, tree houses, and camps, alongside ideas for a waterfront, a lake, and a village street.
Due to the location of the development being in a ‘sensitive area’ within the New Forest, environmental considerations are being made for this proposal. A Screening Opinion will be required, however, it is hoped that an Environmental Impact Assessment will not be, which should make it easier to gain approval for this development. It is also expected that the possible effects of the proposed development on the environment and ecology will be limited.
The planning application states the reason for this expansion is that Paultons Park is the only UK theme park attracting over 300,000 visitors annually without on-site accommodation, acknowledging other similar parks such as Chessington World of Adventures as a benchmark to aspire towards. The accommodation will therefore be a positive stride for Paultons Park towards further competing in the family amusement market.
What do you make of this proposal? Are you excited to see Paultons Park investing in its future as a resort? Let us know via the Attraction Source social media channels.
