The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture (DEFA) has applied for planning permission to allow campervans to stay overnight at Curraghs Wildlife Park in Ballaugh.

Ten spaces would be allocated should the planning application be approved.

However, the application says there would be no electrical hook ups as each vehicle is expected to have its own cooking, toilet and washing facilities.

The car park currently has approximately 80 spaces as well as an overflow area.

DEFA believes the campers would use the public footpath ‘network’ as part of their stay, as well as parking or stopping there as part of a holiday whilst visiting other parts of the island.

The planning statement reads: ‘The application proposes ten motorhome spaces in the north eastern side of the car park.

‘Anyone intending to stay here would know through the marketing and booking material that there are no facilities on site and if there is a need for recharging, emptying etc, then they would programme their stay so that they will stay at a site where they can do this, before or after their visit to this site, for example at a permanent camp site.

‘It is intended that each vehicle will book in advance to stay at the site and may stay for a prescribed period, probably roughly a maximum of four nights during any one stay, while the authorised parking period would run between 6pm and 8am the following day.

‘Whilst the car park is next to a busy thoroughfare, the parking spaces are positioned as far from the road as is possible, providing privacy and some protection from the noise of passing traffic.

‘It is anticipated that the motorhomes would be parked on this site, as part of a series of stops in other parts of the island - the network referred to in the Visit IOM’s strategy.’