Staying at holiday parks is an integral part of our national travelling behaviour, with research from the Caravan Industry Association of Australia demonstrating that approximately 19 million Australians would be interested in staying in a holiday park.
Despite the recent lockdowns, over the previous summer-period holiday parks experienced a significant boom through a surge of bookings as holidaymakers stay closer to home.
Whilst these parks have traditionally been seen for just holidaymakers, we are seeing a trend with park owners moving to more high end moveable accommodation types for seniors, tourist and affordable housing solutions.
This is primarily due to the existing infrastructure on site, the marketability of these location to both tourists and permanent residents and the relative simplicity embedded within the legislation to transform these existing facilities.
An emerging opportunity for modern day holiday parks is to utilise manufactured homes to provide affordable housing solutions which is supported by Councils where affordable housing is under pressure.
Not only is the holiday park sector beneficial in providing affordable housing infrastructure, according to the Caravan Industry Association of Australia, the industry contributes over $1.8 billion annually to our economy.
Approval Pathway
Depending on the existing site, the approval process can require approval across two arms of the planning legislation. Navigating the different requirements of each arm can be complex as the caravan park transformation of the park may require both a development application and also an approval under section 68 of the Local Government Act.
This can prove to be a complex area of planning to negotiate as both arms can overlap. Barker Ryan Stewart can offer expertise in this area to ensure that where there is overlap, a consistent and simplified approach is taken.
Our Experience in the Holiday Park Industry
Barker Ryan Stewart has extensive experience providing town planning services for a range of holiday park developments throughout NSW. Some of the projects we have recently been involved with include:
Lake View Village, Avoca
We were recently successful in obtaining development consent for the $22 million upgrade to Lake View Village in Avoca.
The upgrade will include 57 architecturally designed long-term high end manufactured homes, each with two storeys, three bedrooms and a double garage. The manufacturing and installation process will help maintain affordability and promote sustainability by minimising building waste and site disturbance. The development will also include 5 short-term sites for caravans, and the construction of a two-story office and an amenities building.
Located adjacent to Avoca Lagoon, the site boasts an enviable position within a sought-after location. The approval for this site was complex due to the environmental sensitivity of the land, including being flood affected, adjoining a coastal lake, containing endangered flora and being bushfire prone. Our team of Town Planners coordinated the project team to obtain approval for this exciting development.
Image provided by Marchese Partners, dated 2021
Ocean Beach Holiday Resort, Umina
We were engaged for the provision of a Statement of Environmental Effects, Waste Management Plan, and managing the DA with Council for the Ocean Beach Holiday Resort in Umina. We have provided expert advice to the proponents to navigate a complex landowners arrangement (including public lands) as well as advice regarding applicable approval pathways for these works.
With an ideal beachfront location, the resort offers a range of accommodation options including cabins and villas, glamping, caravan and camp sites, alongside a range of facilities and amenities.
In addition to the above, our engineering team were also involved in remodelling the hydraulic design and on-site water management practices to upgrade the drainage infrastructure, and site improvement works. The outcome of these works is better infrastructure to improve the overall quality of the site and improved access and function of the site for visitors.
Need assistance with an upcoming development?
This is just a small snapshot of the projects our planning team have been involved with. We continue to receive enquiries from park owners seeking to upgrade their site facilities, modernise their accommodation options, and create an overall masterplan for to transform these sites to meet the changing needs of the market.
Barker Ryan Stewart has an experienced team of Planners, Civil Engineers and Surveyors that are well-resourced and positioned to assist in providing the services required for your next holiday park development.
If you have any further questions or concerns about how we can assist you, please don’t hesitate to contact your local Barker Ryan Stewart office.
