THIRTY new jobs are expected to be created with the development of a brand new leisure complex at a South Lakeland holiday park.

Milnthorpe businessman John Morphet, the managing director of South Lakeland Caravans Ltd, plans to plough hundreds of thousands of pounds into building the complex at White Cross Bay, Windermere.

Providing the project gets planning permission from the Lake District National Park Authority, work will start on the development this winter and will be completed by the spring of 2001.

The leisure complex will include a swimming pool, gymnasium, beauty saloon, sauna and steam room plus a new lounge bar and restaurant.

Extra staff will be needed to run the new facilities and the site's general manager, Peter Mayo, estimates that around 30 jobs will be created.

Mr Morphet bought the park in January in a £10 million deal and announced that he planned to change the profile of the 65-acre park over the next five years.

The park has enjoyed a highly-successful season catering for 15,000 guests to date.

Holiday bookings are up by 15 per cent on last year and the demand for marina berths and boat park space has risen by ten per cent.

Last month the English Tourist Board awarded the park five stars - the highest accolade for standards of excellence - following an inspection.

When Mr Morphet took over he was keen to encourage more private, owner occupiers on the site and eight of the 98 lodges on site, some costing £100,000, have been sold to people from all over the country.

More lodges are planned for the site on the central area currently occupied by the seasonal caravans.

Another area of the park is to be developed to cater for the seasonal caravans and 70 new tourer pitches will be created.

"We have been delighted at the demand for caravan and lodge ownership," said Mr Mayo.

"People want to invest in their leisure time.

These people then commit themselves to the area by visiting on a regular basis which can only be good for the local economy."

l The park is to host a caravan show over the weekend starting Friday, October 13.