‘Dilapidated’ English holiday park is being turned into a £142MILLION hilltop village with a swimming pool under plans

A DILAPIDATED holiday park in a UK seaside town is set to become a multi-million ‘hilltop village’. The project includes hundreds of new homes and a brand new retirement community. The caravan sites currently feature empty slots and more “run-down” sections Credit: Local Democracy Reporting Service The developer has proposed to transformed the area into a community-based estate Credit: Evergreen Escapes Group Eight caravan sites in Eastchurch, on the Isle of Sheppey, will undergo a £142milllion transformation to become a new hill-top community. Subject to approval from Swale Council, the scheme – named Kinford – proposes to create new homes, holiday accommodation and green community spaces set to enhance the area’s “rural character”. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! Developer Evergreen Escapes Group said this will include 400 new residential lodges, 98 “general needs dwellings” and 228 holiday caravans preserved from the existing Shurland Dale Holiday Park. As part of the six-year construction plan, the site will also receive a brand new retirement community, featuring a care home and 136 retirement living apartments. The “hill-top” style village will also have a transport and cycle hub, town square and leisure facilities including a swimming pool and clubhouse. The eight sites – Shurland Dale, Elmhurst, Sunnymead One, Sunnymead Two, Pleasant View, Cliff Cottages, Eastchurch Chalet Park, and Brookside Leisure Park – currently house 1,197 caravans and bases. The lodges are said to be built with the “rural character” of the area in mind Credit: Evergreen Escapes Group Most homes will be ground floor accessible dwellings Credit: Evergreen Escapes Group However, the company said it would offer a structured relocation process to those impacted by the scheme, and would work closely “with each affected owner”. The developers also claim the new project would bring an “annual £8.8m boost to the Swale district economy”, as well as the regeneration of a large brownfield site. Most read in The Sun Despite this, residents and members of the community have voiced their concerns about the project, including questions about existing tenants and the breadth of the facilities that will be available. Another asked where the doctor and dental services were “coming from” as well as how the construction traffic and water facilities would be managed. Comment now