PLANS to build a new swimming pool at Bowland Fell Holiday Park in Tosside in the Forest of Bowland have been approved by North Yorkshire Council.

The previous pool will be demolished to make way for a replacement building. At 441 square metres, it will be more than twice as large.

The site has 350 caravans and is run by Park Holidays UK Ltd, one of the largest operators of holiday caravan parks in the UK.

Park Holidays says the new pool will provide more spacious facilities as well as improved family changing areas and toilets and will be a boost to the local tourism sector.

The main swimming pool will measure 12.8m by 5.6m and the building will also include a 5.6m by 3.8m toddler pool.

The holiday park employs 22 full-time and 16 part-time employees and documents say the new pool will lead to more jobs being created.

The building will comprise of natural Yorkshire stone and will feature areas of wood cladding.

A new entrance gate for cars will be constructed to the north of the site following the removal of two redundant LPG tanks.

Eleven new parking spaces will be created, including two disabled bays and two EV charging points.

Park Holidays says: “The proposed replacement swimming pool will boost the local tourism sector. The swimming pool will provide guests and residents of the holiday park with a much improved, indoor leisure facility to be enjoyed when good weather cannot be guaranteed.

“It will be a highly valued amenity within the Holiday Park and will contribute to the attraction of visitors outside of the conventional peak holiday season. Through the extension of the holiday season, there will be a significant knock-on effect on the rural economy as local businesses will benefit from increased tourism year-round.”