AN appeal to expand a holiday park business on the edge of Tavistock has been dismissed by the Government’s planning inspectorate.

Dartmoor Country Holidays at Magpie Leisure Park, Bedford Bridge, is owned by Barton Park Estates Ltd who appealed against a decision by Dartmoor National Park Authority for the business to expand last May.

The site currently has permission to house just under 50 caravans — a mixture of touring pitches, camping areas, five lodges/cabins and statics.

Last year, the business applied for a certificate of lawfulness for a proposed use of land for the stationing of around 80 caravans, including 18 residential vans, 16 holiday chalets, 18 static vans and 30 touring caravans.

But the certificate was refused by Dartmoor National Park Authority on the grounds that the increase would be ‘quite significant and would change the character of the site’.

A certificate of lawfulness is a means used to establish the facts on a site, they are not compulsory but can make clear that the existing use is lawful for planning purposes or that the proposal does not require planning permission.

Barton Park Estates Ltd’s agent Ben Eiser of Eiser Planning and Development Consultancy Services appealed to the Government’s planning inspectorate to have the decision by the national park authority overturned on behalf of his client.

The application went to public enquiry at the end of February and the decision to refuse was made by HM Planning Inspectorate Jessica Graham on June 29.

Barton Park Estates Ltd also had its second appeal application refused to use The Barn at the park as a dwellinghouse on June 29.

Inspector Graham said that the siting of 80 caravans would amount to a ‘material change of use of the land for which planning permission would be required’. She added: ‘On that basis, the requested certificate that such a use would be lawful cannot be granted.’