A ‘LONG-ESTABLISHED and successful’ campsite in Salisbury is looking to increase the number of pitches on offer.

The Camping and Caravan Club Site, in Castle Road, has submitted a planning application to increase the number of pitches by nine hard-standing pitches, as well as converting 10 current pitches, also to hard standing.
“The upgrades are proposed to provide a more solid and all-weather base for the larger and heavier vehicles the site is seeing in recent years, and the new pitches are to allow increased capacity for caravans and motorhomes,” the application said.
“This is due to an increasing trend witnessed by the site for a reduction in visitors under canvas and an increase in those with caravans and motorhomes.”
The nine new pitches are planned at the southern end of the site, which the application says would ‘not visually extend the site’, as it is already used by visitors in smaller vehicles.
“The development would not increase vehicle movements, it would simply increase the capacity of the site for motorhomes and provide them with a better, all-weather base, ensuring that mud is not tracked onto the highway when vehicles leave,” it added.
The application says how the site has seen increased visitor numbers in the off season, which it hopes to continue.
“The touring caravanning and camping market is highly seasonal and weather dependant,” it said.
“In order to extend the season and keep demand in wet weather, sites need to have appropriate facilities – grass pitches are not appropriate outside of summer months.
“Additionally, the demand for properly appropriately surfaced pitches in winter months has seen steady growth as a result of the higher
specifications for touring caravans and motorhomes.
“This demand has particularly increased for the Christmas and New Year period.”
It added: “Increased occupancy here does not just benefit the site itself, but the tourism economy of the city as a whole, as visitors are likely to visit for attractions and restaurants.”
The plans are open for comments until January 19, 2023. To view the full application, log on to www.wiltshire.gov.uk, application reference PL/2022/09304.