Alton Towers announce plans to build 102 glamping 'accommodation pods' - would you stay in one?

More than 100 "glamping" pods are in the pipeline at Alton Towers to encourage more overnight visitors - creating 45 part-time jobs.

The Staffordshire theme park has announced plans to build a total of 102 glamping 'accommodation pods' as part of a major expansion to its hotel resort.

The theme park's bosses want to extend the Enchanted Village to the north as it aims to encourage more visitors to stay overnight instead of simply undertaking day trips.

But, rather than lodges, it hopes to build wooden pods for up to four people to meet a demand for glamping at the site. Each pod will have a double bed and two singles, as well as electricity, with communal shower and toilet blocks elsewhere.

A planning application has now been submitted to Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, our sister title the Stoke Sentinel reports. If approved, the expansion will create 45 part-time jobs.

A statement submitted on behalf of Alton Towers by Manser Practice Architects and Designers, says: "The proposed phase two pods development will have a positive effect on the local visitor economy by extending the accommodation offer and encouraging visitors to stay at the park for longer.

"The development will create new employment opportunities and will contribute to the local economy through direct and indirect spending.

"The pods have a relatively small footprint compared with the existing lodges on the adjacent site. They will provide space to sleep, with basic power, heating and a small window.

"The style has been chosen to complement the surrounding area and adjacent Enchanted Village development but provide a different style of accommodation to address the market demand for a more camping-style accommodation."

Hotels at Alton Towers include the CBeebies Land Hotel, the Alton Towers Hotel, the Enchanted Village Woodland Lodges and Luxury Treehouses and the Splash Landings Hotel.

Fun facts about Alton Tower's new ride, Wicker Man

• Laid end-to-end, 30km of timber has been used in the creation of Wicker Man;
• 1.8 million screws and 65,000 bolts have been used as part of the build
• The area around Wicker Man has been landscaped with 1,500 tonnes of topsoil and 400kg of grass seed