Multi-award-winning Cofton Holidays, located near Dawlish, is bringing power to the people following a £60,000 investment in 16 car charging points for use by day visitors and guests staying on site. No other business in the South West has more electric vehicle (EV) charging points in one location.
The installation is the latest in a series of sustainable initiatives undertaken by Cofton Holidays including rewilding projects, the introduction of wildlife corridors, the installation of 144kw of solar power units on the park’s 12 new luxury lodges, and investment in an electric vehicle for housekeeping. Combined, it brings the total spend on environmentally focused projects at Cofton to over £1/4 million this year alone.
Chris Jeffery, Director at Cofton Holidays and a driving force behind sustainable projects at the holiday park, commented: “For us, sustainability is the future of tourism. Our investment in Pod Point EV charging points is an investment in all our futures. That’s why we’re introducing one of the lowest charging rates in the region at just 22p per kw. Our goal is to encourage greater use of electric vehicles both among local residents and visitors. It’s one of the many ways that we are looking to reduce the carbon footprint here at Cofton. For those that already have EV’s, they’ll get a real kick out of being able to top up their car whilst having a dip in our indoor pool.”
Chris Jeffery added: “Looking forward, we’ll be investing further in more charging units for guests staying at our cottages and apartments at our other site in Dawlish Warren, The Eastdon Estate. This should give guests with EVs the confidence to plan a trip to Devon, to see the sights and to return home without once having to queue or travel to recharge their vehicle. We’ll also be introducing three further electric vehicles, adding to the EV van for housekeeping, two micro trucks and two groundsmen’s vehicles.”
Cofton’s 32amp/7kw charging points, which are fed in part by the site’s solar power panels, take the total number of charging units for the Dawlish area to 18. Of these, six points have been installed for guests staying at Cofton’s new luxury lodges, two are reserved for guests staying at the main site’s self-catering cottages, and a further four are set aside for users of the site’s holiday homes. Four charging points are available to the general public in the day visitor’s car park for visitors who make use of the facilities.
Electric car drivers are already raving about the new charging points at Cofton. One user commented on charging point finder website, Zap Map: “Really handy and offers the best charge near Dawlish Warren. We were staying nearby and as the park wasn’t busy, the staff allowed me to leave my car overnight.”
Cofton Holidays has long been committed to sustainability. The 2018 Devon Tourism Silver Award winner for Responsible, Ethical and Sustainable Tourism has achieved Gold at the David Bellamy Conservation awards for the past 20 years.
In addition to its new electric car charging points, Cofton has installed 12kw of solar panels on each roof of its twelve new luxury lodges. Any energy that isn’t used by lodge guests during their stay is fed back into the Cofton network and anything not used goes into the grid. Plans are in place for the installation of further solar panels at Cofton, including on its newest park toilet block.
Earlier this year Cofton embarked on a rewilding project during lockdown to encourage enhanced biodiversity on site. Combined with the introduction of nature corridors through the planting of additional hedges, shrubs and trees, as well as the introduction of wildflower zones and tussocky grassland that’s cut biennially, Cofton is making good on its commitment to enhance the on-site environment for insects, birds, bats, butterflies, bees and small mammals, making the park a haven for both wildlife and visitors to enjoy.
With over 80 acres of exclusive parkland located amongst five stunning lakes, Cofton Holidays offers a variety of year-round accommodation options including luxury lodges with hot tubs, cottages, apartments, holiday homes, and a campsite. Facilities at the park include four dining options, a pub, a heated indoor pool, a fully equipped gym, sauna and steam rooms, a games zone, an entertainment programme for children and adults, an amusement arcade, and outdoor and indoor play areas.
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