A HOLIDAY park is to take on 36 new staff as part of a £1.2m investment in the site.  

Wyldecrest Parks has unveiled the plans for Port Haverigg Marina Village Holiday Park. 

The Essex-based park operator, which bought the Haverigg site last year, says it is about to build a new leisure complex which will be open to the general public on a membership basis

On the ground floor, it will include a jacuzzi, an indoor heated swimming pool, a gym, a café and shop, a Turkish steam room and a brand new reception and offices. 

On the floor above, there will be five brand new luxury holiday apartments.

And, on the roof terrace, there will be an open glass area featuring a function room and a lounge bar, which will also be used for occasions such as weddings and birthday parties. 

Wyldecrest Parks chairman Alfie Best said, when finished, the venue will employ 48 people. There are presently 12 employees, all of whom are local, except one. 

He said reaction to the plans had been positive, adding: "Of course, there is always the odd one or two who are negative about it, and of course I can't please all of the people all of the time. 

"What we're looking to do is please 95 per cent of the people all of the time. If we can do that, we're winning."

Since the company took over, it has introduced a new play centre, laid more than two miles of tarmacked roads, refurbished the clubhouse, reinforced all of the waterway frontage, and put in new design and landscaping features throughout the park. 

Asked why the business initially wanted to come to Haverigg, Mr Best said: "Firstly, it was the location of the park, which to be fair is second to none. 

"I don't actually think there is a better location for a park in the country. 

"You couldn't ask for a better situated park because it's in a staggered, elevated position, so you get the views. 

"The local village has been starved of income, in my opinion, and I actually think the park is a hub of the local area.

"What's helped us is that everyone in the local economy, once they've seen what we've done, they've really got behind it. 

"I genuinely love the park myself. I go there and I absolutely love the park. 

"And when the weather is good there now, along the front, you could be walking along Saint Tropez, because the cobbled paths are out of this world."

Mr Best said, when the present project is complete, he would like to expand the park, which has around 200 homes, if land was available. 

He is also hoping to bring the World Fly Fishing Championships there in 2018.