Ocean Heights New Quay: 47 Pitches Again Face Refusal Advice

Plans to relocate 47 caravan pitches to Ocean Heights Holiday Park near New Quay are due to return to Ceredigion County Council's development management committee this week, with planning officers once again recommending refusal. As of Monday 12 October 2026, no final decision has been made. Cambrian News reports that the application is on the agenda for the committee meeting on Wednesday 14 October 2026.

The scheme has been before councillors several times already, so here is a clear, even handed look at what is proposed, what officers have said and why it matters to holiday home owners.

What is being proposed?

According to reporting by Local Democracy Reporter Bruce Sinclair, published by the Pembrokeshire Herald on 9 October and the Tivyside Advertiser, Vale Holiday Parks Ltd, through planning agent Geraint John Planning Ltd, wants to move caravans from two of its other parks to Ocean Heights at Maenygroes, about 1.6 miles from New Quay on the A486:

• 17 caravans from Wern Mill Caravan Park at Gilfachrheda, around 2.5 miles away
• 30 caravans from The Village Holiday Park at Cross Inn, around 0.7 miles away

Together these would create 47 additional pitches at Ocean Heights. The applicant's planning statement said the pitches "would form a natural extension to the existing Ocean Heights Park." The Tivyside Advertiser reports that Ocean Heights currently has 103 pitches, and that the 17 Wern Mill units have planning permission but have not been implemented.

A history of deferrals

This is not the first time the application has reached committee. As reported, it was recommended for refusal at the March and May 2026 meetings but deferred on both occasions because extra information had been submitted. Council minutes for the June 2026 meeting record that it was then referred to the Site Inspection Panel, meaning councillors wanted to see the site for themselves.

Repeated deferrals are not unusual for larger or finely balanced applications. They give applicants the chance to respond to concerns and give councillors more information before reaching a decision.

Why officers recommend refusal

The officer reports, as quoted in the press, raise several planning concerns.

Sustainability of the location

An officer report said the site "is not considered to function as a sustainable location, due to its limited active travel connectivity, lack of local services, and continued reliance on private car travel." It added that the proposal had not "demonstrated that the development is small scale or meets a specific local need."

Greenfield land and landscape

Officers also described the scheme as "a significant expansion of the existing holiday park onto undeveloped greenfield land at the rural edge of Maen-y-Groes, a settlement with no services and limited active travel connections."

Visual effects at each site

The report for members acknowledged that relocating caravans from The Village Holiday Park "would result in a significant and permanent visual improvement to that site." However, officers remained of the view that the proposal would not directly result in a significant and permanent visual improvement at Wern Mill, and that moving The Village caravans would "result in a significant negative visual effect at the receiving site at Ocean Heights Holiday Park."

Local views

Llanllwchaearn Community Council opposes the proposal, saying it "would double the area of the site," according to the Tivyside Advertiser. The paper also reports that New Quay Town Council has not discussed the scheme because it lacked a quorum after several councillors declared an interest.

Objectors posting on the council's planning portal have raised concerns about road safety, impact on residents, wastewater infrastructure and what some described as overdevelopment. Some said the scheme would add pressure to the roughly 60 strong hamlet's resources.

The applicant's case

Vale Holiday Parks argues that the relocation would consolidate holiday accommodation at Ocean Heights rather than add new pitches across the area as a whole, and that it would not materially increase traffic on the local highway network.

Since earlier hearings, the applicant has also submitted information on economic benefits. As reported by the Tivyside Advertiser, it says the scheme "would create approximately £760,000 in visitor expenditure into the local economy in any year from the proposed 47 units." This is the applicant's own estimate, and officers said it was one consideration among the scheme's merits rather than a fundamental change.

What happens next?

An officer recommendation is advice, not a decision. Councillors on the development management committee can accept it, reject it, or defer again. If permission is refused, an applicant can usually appeal. We will keep an eye on the outcome of the 14 October meeting.

Why this matters to holiday home owners

Stories like this are a useful reminder of how much of the holiday park world is shaped by planning. Whether a park can grow, consolidate or move caravans between sites depends on planning permission, and that in turn can affect owners in a few ways:

• Relocation plans can affect where your holiday home sits. If a park group proposes moving caravans between sites, owners at the affected parks will naturally want to understand what it means for their pitch and agreement.
• Your pitch licence sets the ground rules. The terms of your agreement, including its length and any provisions about moving or replacing units, matter. Our guide to selling a static caravan with a pitch licence explains more.
• Site fees and facilities are linked. Investment and change at a park can be reflected in fees over time. See how site fees affect selling a static caravan.

If you own a holiday home at a park facing change, the best first step is usually a friendly conversation with the park team, followed by a careful read of your agreement.

Weighing up your options?

If you are wondering whether now is the time to sell, it helps to understand the different routes available. Our comparison of cash buyer, private sale and park sale sets out the pros and cons of each.

For a no obligation chat or a free valuation, call us free on 0800 644 5000 or visit Static Caravan Buyer. We aim to contact you within 24 hours and to make an offer within 48 hours after contact. Payment is made on collection day before the caravan is loaded. Please note we buy holiday static caravans and lodges, not residential park homes.