The new owners of The Foxhunter Park in Monkton have applied to Thanet council for permission to use land at the site for a further 55 caravans.
Hill Brothers Ltd, which bought the park last year, say the extra caravans would be on “manicured amenity land” which is already in park ownership.
The application says: “The owners purchased the site in 2024 and are seeking to invest significantly to modernise the existing leisure facilities onsite, improve the infrastructure and generally enhance the business. The existing park is approved to operate on a 12-month holiday use.
“The extension seeks to respond to increased demand for modern, spacious caravan accommodation and to secure the long-term sustainability of the park as a local tourism provider. The site is not conspicuous from public vantage points and there is no intervisibility between the site and the countryside beyond.”
In application documents, the applicant cites research that says visitors who stayed in owned caravan accommodation spent, on average, £89 per day, including £53 on-site and £36 off-site.
If approved, the expansion at Foxhunter Park is estimated to have the potential to generate an additional £686,901 per annum for the local economy, which would support a total of 12 full-time jobs within the wider industry, documents add.
Recent tourism data highlights overnight stays reached 98% of pre-pandemic levels, with 486,300 visitors staying in Thanet in 2023, representing a 4% increase from 2021. The application says: “These figures underscore the critical role tourism plays in the local economy and the growing demand for family-friendly accommodation options.”
The five star holiday park currently has more than 300 statics and lodges on site as well as a pool, club house, play areas and sports court.
The application says habitat creation will be secured via a program of biodiversity enhancements with onsite and offsite contributions.
The land earmarked for the extension is described in the application as: “currently manicured amenity land of low biodiversity value and with little structural diversity; there are no hedgerows and limited features within the area proposed for development.
“The site benefits from excellent natural planting along the boundaries that amalgamates the land with the existing caravan park and completely screens wider views. The prominent tree belt and existing hedgerows that existing along the boundaries will be retained as part of this development and will be enhanced to improve biodiversity and visual perception.”
The Foxhunter Park has been running at Monkton since 1979.
A decision on the application is yet to be made. The application can be viewed on the Thanet council planning portal, reference F/TH/25/0697
It’s a fantastic park, and with the facilities being now open to the locals its a great win for the local area.