Pool Bridge Farm Ltd of Crockey Hill has submitted plans to Metropolis of York Council to create a 203-space automotive park on grassland at present used for tenting, with the restoration of an current 70-space automotive park to landscaping.

The appliance says the plans are pushed by a have to cater for rising customer numbers, add to the farm’s wellness providing, and enhance the customer expertise.

The 138ha farm off Wheldrake Lane has been farmed by the Fletcher household since 1952.

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Initially simply arable and grassland, the farm has diversified to incorporate 5 man-made lakes, caravan pitches tenting website and café.

The lakes had been dug between 1964 and 2008 and till 2008 had been used for coarse fishing. However 4 have been repurposed for wild swimming. The lakes are additionally used for paddle boarding and there are three lakeside saunas.

“The wild swimming exercise has confirmed to be notably in style, with the lakes providing a pure and tranquil setting for guests,” the applying continued.

It additionally outlined a variety of bodily and psychological well being advantages such swimming brings.

The appliance additionally stated: “Pool Bridge Farm has just lately been recognised because the no. 1 wild swimming venue within the nation, attracting guests from all around the UK. It’s a distinctive facility for the native space each as a customer attraction and a leisure asset and is utilized by a large age-range, with each adults-only and family-oriented swimming lakes.”

In 2024, the venue issued 400 annual memberships though an additional 150-250 month-to-month passes are issued every month. These usually sell-out inside a 12-hour interval and are capped at this degree to retain some capability for every day swim classes.

Nonetheless, a scarcity of parking caps customer numbers for swimming in addition to for particular occasions.

The appliance continued: “The fast improve in customer numbers has positioned a pressure on the supporting infrastructure on the farm, with the venue having just lately invested in new altering amenities and social amenities.

“Nonetheless, the only largest constraint on the continued evolution of the enterprise is the extent of automotive parking provision.  The prevailing automotive park is in a poor situation, falls within the fallacious location and is inefficiently spaced out.”

With the ability to use the 0.68ha  website for parking would maintain the enterprise, it stated.

“It’s a essential a part of the enterprise technique for Pool Bridge Farm and can help the continued development of this thriving rural enterprise.”

The appliance additionally argued the Fletcher household have remodeled the location, with no farming since 2010 and far rewilded, and three,500 native timber planted.

It concluded the wild swimming there “has been a powerful success story” and an “essential asset for York.”

The leisure and rural tourism use was appropriate for the Inexperienced Belt location and the additional automotive parking wouldn’t be seen past the location. The scheme would cater for rising wants and by assembly a variety of native and nationwide planning insurance policies, must be authorised, it added.