Discovery parks remove van owners for deluxe cabins

FREEBURGH caravan owners have been told they will have to remove their vans from Discovery Holiday Parks – Bright after plans emerged of the park wanting to develop the area further.

Discovery Holiday Parks purchased the land back in 2020, immediately sharing their intent to develop the park with cabins in the unpowered free camping area.

Discovery parks initially advised van owners they had no intention of asking them to move.

One of the van owners, Jenny Bailey, is just like many of the other van owners, devastated by the park's decision.

"We are being told to remove their vans by June 30, so Discovery Parks can develop their park on the land currently being used by annual vans," she said.

"Opposed to the unused area that would have otherwise been used."

"Most of these vans have been in place for decades, these annual van residents feel a deep connection to the park, Freeburgh and the area."

A spokesperson for Discovery Holiday Parks said they are planning on putting nine new deluxe tourist cabins into the park, which will improve the quality of accommodation available to tourists.

"As a result of these plans, we have provided notice to some of our' annual residents' their agreements will conclude on June 30," they said

"Due to the fact that the sites that they have been leasing are within the tourism development area."

To accommodate the additional cabins at Discovery Parks, they approached North East Water (NEW) to be able to fund the installation of a 7km privately owned sewer main and connect it to North East Water's sewer system in Bright.

NEW managing director Jo Murdoch said as much as they commend the company's innovative approach, NEW has found several challenges with the proposed pipeline.

"These include the responsibility for the ongoing maintenance and future repair costs; the potential for odour issues at the point where pipeline would connect to the sewer system in Bright; and most importantly, the increase in flow to the sewage treatment plant which is nearing capacity," she said.

"While we want to support growth, we aren't able to move ahead with this idea.

"However, discussions will continue if anything changes in the future.

"We are also in now in the early stages of developing a water and sewerage system masterplan to position us to plan for and respond to growth in the future."

There was no discussion of other Freeburgh residents being allowed to connect.