An extension to a caravan and camping site in Welshampton has been approved.

Linda Edwards told Tuesday's North Shropshire Planning Committee her family’s diversification plans for Corner Farm would help to boost the local economy and bring tourists to north Shropshire.

The proposal will see the creation of 15 caravan or motorhomes pitches and 25 camping pitches.

A previous application to create 19 pitches, plus the conversion of farm buildings to create a farm shop with a cafe and restaurant, visitor centre and washroom facilities, was approved in September.

But Welshampton and Lyneal Parish Council said although it supported the original application, it had concerns at the latest submission when the additional works are no closure to fruition.

It also said there were more than 200 pitches within seven miles of the village.

Councillor Guy Wells, on the council’s behalf, said: “We are proud to share with tourists the beauty that north Shropshire has to offer.

“If the farm shop, cafe and visitor centre had been completed in full and been so successful an extension was deemed necessary, then I am sure the council would have looked sympathetically on the additional pitches.”

But Mrs Edwards said the extension was necessary to finance the farm shop, visitor centre and washroom. “We have to create this in phases – each one is dependent on the one created before it.”

Members of the committee agreed with the planning officers’ recommendation to approve the application.

Councillor Steve Davenport said he would like to see 400 pitches in the region and called on Shropshire Council to do more to bring tourism to the north of the county.

“People who visit will spend double the amount people living in that town or village will spend,” he said.

“I spend a lot of time in the south of the county and tourism is booming down there. We need to be bringing it up here.”