THE family owners of a High Bentham holiday park have announced expansion plans to help them meet an "unprecedented demand" for holidays in North Yorkshire.

Riverside Caravan Park hopes to get the go-ahead for an additional 20 luxury lodges on top of the 240 caravan holiday homes it currently provides.

People staying in the new holiday lodges, says the Marshall family, could boost visitor spending in the area by more than half a million pounds annually.

If the green light is given, the lodges will be sighted on the edge of Bentham Golf Course, which is close to Riverside Caravan Park and also owned by the family.

Thomas Marshall, whose father Bateman first started welcoming camping guests on his farm in 1969, said rural North Yorkshire had fast been growing in popularity over recent years.

The Marshalls stepped in to buy the 18-hole Bentham Golf Club seven years ago after falling membership numbers put a question mark over its future.

Since then, the family has invested substantially in the enterprise including refurbishment of the clubhouse, changing facilities, and the course.

The new lodges will have the same stunning views across the countryside to Ingleborough as players enjoy, and will include many energy-saving and environmentally-friendly features.

Thomas says he is keen to ensure that new lodge development mirrors the accent on sustainability, which has become the hallmark of Riverside Caravan Park.

"This part of North Yorkshire has a strong appeal to those seeking away-from-it-all holidays, and we have always been concerned to help preserve and protect its natural beauty," said Thomas. "We've had a very busy autumn this year, and are already receiving many bookings for 2016 which is a very positive sign."