Holiday park plan for Elvington site (From York Press)

Holiday park plan for Elvington site

8:46am Wednesday 26th September 2012 in News By Mark Stead, mark.stead@thepress.co.uk

A TOUCH of Mongolia could be brought to a village near York through plans to set up a new holiday park.

Proposals have been put forward to build a series of yurts – based on wooden buildings which normally accommodate nomadic tribes on the steppes of Central Asia – on a patch of land in Elvington which was once a campsite for American troops.

The scheme, earmarked for Moor Closes, at Elvington Park, would see six of the canvas structures being used as holiday accommodation for tourists taking short city breaks.

The applicants say they have focused on York as they look to expand a business which has already seen similar parks open elsewhere in Yorkshire and in Scotland.

City of York Council is expected to make a decision on the plans in November.

The site was formerly owned by the Ministry of Defence and was used during the 1950s as accommodation for US air personnel based at nearby Elvington Airfield.

A planning statement by David Johnson Planning and Design, the agents for the scheme, states: “The short-stay market the yurts are going to be aimed at will be ideal for the area and will contribute to the already well-established tourist trade in the city, but will offer an alternative to the city environment.

“The site would be a great addition to the already diverse cross-section of accommodation offered in and around the city. The proposal makes use of an attractive setting and vast open spaces, as well as a vibrant location.”

The firm said the yurts would each sleep two people and be built alongside a timber building housing a reception point, kitchen and other facilities.

The extra visitors would mean more trade for local shops as the park would be open throughout the year.

The nearby Yorkshire Air Museum meant there was “a high level of interest” on the local tourism front and there was a demand for “valuable tourist accommodation” in the area.