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Morpeth developers N B Clark have clinched
a £500,000 contract to begin the first phase of a
new holiday park on the Northumberland coastline.
Clark have started work on the phased £5m
expansion of Golden Sands Holiday Park, near Cresswell,
to transform 100 acres of farmland on the 530-acre Cresswell
Hall Estate into a nature-rich
holiday haven.
The development could create up to 40 new
jobs and boost the local economy by up
to £3.5 million a year through spend generated by
park occupants, say Golden Sands owners, Northumbrian Leisure
Limited.
The private site will have 350 luxury caravan
holiday homes nestled among newly planted trees and meadows
bordered by established woods and will feature nature walks,
cycle tracks and have a self-contained spa and swimming
pool open to local people as well
as owners.
Jeff Clark, Director of N B Clark, said:
“We are very pleased to be working with Golden Sands
in the first phase of this exciting development. Once complete,
the site will be the only one of its kind in this part of
the country, having caravans with mains gas, water and electricity.”
Nigel Thompson, Director of Northumbrian
Leisure Limited, said: “It’s been a dream
for a long time for us to do this and I’m delighted
the project has started. The park will
be fantastic for the area. It will generate jobs and benefit
the local economy particularly
in Ellington, Lynemouth, Ashington, Morpeth and Blyth through
increased trade to retail and food outlets, restaurants
and visitor attractions.
“We look forward to working with
N B Clark, who are a renowned local contractor to get the
project underway.”
Central to the project’s success
is Northumbrian Leisure’s commitment to conserve and
enhance the surrounding countryside, which includes 25 acres
of woodland and to make this a feature of the park.
Winner of the David Bellamy Conservation
Silver Award for holiday parks, Mr Thompson said: “Tourism
and conservation can go very well together as we have already
shown here at Golden Sands. Protecting and enhancing the
natural environment as we expand is at the heart of the
project. One of the main reasons people want to come to
Cresswell in the first place is because it is a beautiful
part of the world and still very much unknown as a holiday
destination. We want to retain and enhance an area where
people can experience and enjoy natural, country living.”
Mr Thompson added: “We are planting
around 30 acres of native woodland species throughout the
new park area and are working in partnership with local
conservation bodies to make sure we deliver the highest
levels of park management - from creating suitable habitats
for wildlife such as ponds and managing woodland effectively
to recycling and using energy efficiently.”
John Holt of Business Link for Northumberland said: "Business
Link has worked closely with Northumbrian Leisure over a
number of years providing support towards developing the
business and it's people. The latest phase of development
is very significant and will have a major positive impact
both in the local area and the region as a whole. Business
Link North East will be supporting them on an ongoing basis
to assist Northumbrian Leisure in achieving their aims"
The first phase of the development is expected
to be complete byApril 2008.
Media: For more information please
contact Claire Thorburn
at The Design Quarter on (01665) 605 274
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