A Bleadon-based holiday park hopes to expand as it sees a rise in demand from tourists.

Riverside Holiday Village has asked North Somerset Council for planning permission to turn its camping site into a base for 90 caravans.

The group manager of the park’s parent company, West Country Parks, has said the need for development comes from the increasing demand from tourists coming to the area.

David Tattersall said: “We have made a lot of progress over the past nine years in development and expansion because people are finding this area is a very diverse and interesting area to visit.”

The park has a current capacity of up to 400 people, across the campsite and in static and touring caravans.

However, Mr Tattersall told the Mercury the park is seeing more and more bookings each year, recording from 2,000-2,500 in the past year.

He added: “We have had a phenomenal amount of demand for holidays in recent years and this development will help us meet that demand.

“More people are choosing to come to England for their holidays for a number of reasons, like exchange rates and safer environment. In Somerset there is a wide array of attractions from the Somerset Levels to Quantock Hills for people to explore.”

The holiday village, which was previously called Purn Holiday Village, has seen £7million invested into its facilities in the past few years, including the construction of a new bar, restaurant and swimming pool complex.

The new development, if approved by North Somerset Council, will take two years to complete and is expected to cost approximately £5million.

Bleadon Parish Council has said it supports the application but asks the business to put some money into traffic calming measures.

A council spokesman said in their response: “The council has no objections to this application; however it would like to request the developer be asked to contribute to the levy for the general improvement of traffic issues likely to be caused by the development, particularly at the junction of the A370.”

To view the application, visit www.n-somerset.gov.uk and search 17/P/1502/F.