Bluestone plans 80 lodges to meet 'staycation' demand

Gareth James / Geograph Bluestone holiday parkGareth James / Geograph
The resort currently has 344 lodges, studios and cottages on site

A resort in Pembrokeshire hopes to build 80 new lodges to meet demand for holidays in the UK.

Bluestone National Park Resort wants to spend £15m on its 500-acre holiday village near Narberth.

It said its plans would create more than 250 jobs in the construction phase, almost 90 jobs following completion and increase spending in the surrounding area by up to £1m per year.

The plan is being put to the public for consultation.

John Lucas / Geograph Lodge at Bluestone National Park ResortJohn Lucas / Geograph
The resort employs more than 700 people

The resort currently employs more than 700 people, has 344 lodges, studios and cottages on site and says it welcomed almost 155,000 visitors in 2019.

Bluestone's head of projects, Liz Weedon, said: "It has been a very challenging year for everyone; we are proud and privileged to be based in Pembrokeshire and see real potential for the county to significantly benefit from staycation demand in the future."

Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority has granted Bluestone change-of-use planning permission to turn a nearby historic mill into a restaurant for 160 diners.

Black Pool Mill
Permission has been granted to turn Black Pool Mill into a restaurant

The company had originally hoped to turn the 19th Century Black Pool Mill into a £2.5m heritage attraction with a narrow-gauge steam railway but the plan was rejected by the authority in 2017 following a number of objections.

Work is due to restore the building shortly.