By Local Democracy Reporter Daniel Esson
A holiday park could be built next to Chapel House in Minster which is seeking permission to host up to 70 families a night on its land.
The county estate’s owners say the move is “amazing” for the local economy and could create 30 new jobs in addition to the 40 staff already at the venue.
Thanet District Council (TDC) originally granted permission for the historic Chapel House to host weddings in 2021. Now a planning application, submitted in September, asks to install 50 “self-contained visitor accommodation lodges, 20 touring pitches and ancillary buildings including a clubhouse and gym/spa, and the creation of a swimming lake,” plans say.
Owner of Chapel House Darren Ellis told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “We’ve got some accommodation on site but it is always fully booked for weddings and the like, and lots of guests ask us where they can stay, or if we have anything else they can stay in for a few days.”
He added it will not only be for wedding accommodation and will have a minimum stay of two nights, and a maximum of seven.
The plan is to build the holiday park in a field close to the manor house and wedding venue.
Mr Ellis continued: “It’d be unlikely at any time it would be at full capacity but, there is always that chance, and if it was at full capacity how amazing would that be for the local economy?
“We would want people travelling into Thanet, perhaps travelling in on the train, we’ve got our own transport we can take people into the local Parkway station.
“Look at what that would do for the economy of Thanet for all the restaurants and bars having a couple hundred additional people on a Saturday night.
“It brings in outside money to our local economy and I really hope the business owners of Cliffsend and Minster would welcome it because wintertime can be hard for all of us in our area to keep our businesses sustainable.
“This project could be amazing for Thanet, it could really help bring people in and should help the local residents and businesses I would’ve thought.”
Mr Ellis has owned the venue for three years and this year it has hosted some 100 events and received awards in only its second year of trading.
He also stressed Chapel House has created more than 40 jobs and he expects the new development to create more than 30 if approved.
The lodges are all south-southwest facing and will have solar panels, so Mr Ellis thinks they’ll be able to run it effectively net zero.
The venue can currently cater for 120 guests and offer overnight accommodation.
The titular Chapel House – at the centre of the 25-acre site – dates back to 1290 and is Grade II-listed.
The planned holiday park will also include a gym/spa, clubhouse and a swimming lake.
Not all are as enthused by the bid though. Cllr Abi Smith (Green), who represents the area on TDC, said: “Minster is under siege from development.
“The wedding venue at Chapel House has been the subject of several noise complaints from local residents.
“This holiday village project, while it seems well considered in terms of biodiversity net gain and environmental impact, implies a substantial increase in visitor traffic with the associated noise and disturbance, as well as the loss of farmland.
“These concerns may be countered to some extent by economic benefits such as local jobs and tourist trade, but TDC must consider the proposal with great care to avoid losing yet more of what Minster residents love about their historic village.”
It is not yet known when TDC’s planning committee will decide on the bid, but a target deadline of December 31 has been set.
The proposals can be viewed on Thanet council’s planning page, reference F/TH/24/1093
Sounds great! I’d stay there if I was from outside the area.
Excellent idea we have relatives who have been there to a wedding they could not talk highly enough about the place.
However the word “successful” doesn’t bode well for TDC
They prefer the word “unsuccessful” the Council have a habit of boarding places up rather than helping them thrive.
Seems an odd place to build this only a few hundred yards from a airport runway. Who wants to listen to jets every 15 minutes.
Same with all those houses being built at the end of the runway. Who wants to live there ?
Why hasn’t the work started on manston airport, there’s nothing holding it up. I though they blamed the anti for holding it up, that’s over now so why the hold up.
Perhaps these invisable investors don’t exist and these house builders etc know this.
There you go, sweetie. They’ll be fine.
Is the pic of Cllr Abi Smith a cardboard cut-out?
Good luck with the development – a well run holiday park is a definite plus for the area.
This summer we had to grandchildren to entertain for summer holiday and I never knew there was so much to do in our area.