Plans for new caravans at flood-hit park approved

People will be able to live at a holiday park all-year round despite flooding in previous years, after new plans were approved.

West Northamptonshire Council said that nearly 1,000 static caravans could be lived in permanently at Billing Aquadrome Holiday Park in Northampton.

The 121-hectare site was evacuated due to flooding in February 2024.

According to the proposals, ground levels on the site will be raised so that the properties are located in the areas least likely to flood.

As well as asking for all-year round residences at the site - which will be for people aged over 50 - owner Meadow Bay Villages said it would "reconfigure" the whole park.

The number of homes will be reduced from 3,104, to 2,239, made up of:

• 110 static residential caravans - for permanent residence - built on the site of buildings now due to be demolished
• 886 static caravans for permanent residential occupation on the existing park
• 1,223 holiday static caravans
• 20 floating lodges

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, wider regeneration plans were also signed off at the council planning meeting on Tuesday.

Other planned works include a new lake.

Speaking at the meeting, Labour councillor Sally Keeble raised concerns that marketing the two-bedroom accommodation would attract low-income families hoping to use the second room as a children's room.

She said there was not enough infrastructure built into the site to support multi-generational families, in what is essentially a "village of 996 homes".

Geoffrey Smith, chief executive of Meadow Bay Villages, told the committee they were aware of about 1,200 families living there.

That is despite there being a requirement that the homes are not lived in for 25 days during January.

He assured the council the new development would only serve as an over-50s residential park.

Smith also said he understood historical concerns about flood risk.

"Regularisation of residential occupation would generate the revenue needed to fund the major flood alleviation works that will make the site safer than it has ever been," he said.

The Environment Agency, which is responsible for flood management, said it was supportive of the proposals.

The planning committee said a Section 106 agreement needed to be completed, which included providing healthcare provision at the site.

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