The owners of Devizes Marina have applied for planning permission to build eight holiday lodges.

The wooden lodges are proposed to be built on land to the east of the marina, in Horton Avenue, where there is a four metre high spoil heap and an area for car parking.

The site is owned by the marina and, in the planning application submitted to Wiltshire Council, agent Robert Kann said the spoil heap was created during the construction of the marina basin.

The marina, which was built more than 15 years ago, has more than 80 recreational moorings and seven residential moorings for boaters on the Kennet and Avon Canal and hires out kayaks, canoes and a leisure boat for trips.

Mr Kann said the holiday lodges would expand the marina’s income stream and create purpose-built holiday accommodation in a peaceful canal-side environment.

In the application, he said: “The proposed lodges are not to be confused with cheap static holiday park homes. The holiday lodges to be constructed are high-quality lodges crafted with excellent workmanship.

“There is a demonstrable need for new and varied holiday accommodation to serve Devizes and the Wiltshire area and this will contribute to the local sustainable economy.

"This is a small-scale, high-quality holiday lodge development that will help to enliven and rejuvenate an otherwise unattractive and unmaintained small stretch of the canal.”

In all, 16 car parking spaces are planned with the lodges.