A country park is being turned from an Olympic venue to a “glamping” hotspot.

Permission has been granted to turn part of the park into a glamorous camping spot with safari tents on timber bases and decked verandas complete with a kitchen.

Six years ago visitors flocked to the park for the cross country tracks and director Wayne Warner is hoping many wll return to the new site.

Mr Warner, of RW Leisure and Glamping Ltd, manages the site in partnership with Hadleigh Country Park, the Olympic Legacy Team and Essex County Council.

The 44-year-old has now been granted planning permission for the scheme and is open to bookings from July.

The “glampsite” will include a modern toilet and shower block, fishing lake, café and children’s play area.

Mr Warner of Seymour Rd, Hadleigh, said: “There’s a bikeability programme on offer where children learn bike skills. The site is only a ten minute walk from Hadleigh Castle, and the park offers canoeing, kayaking and archery.”

Feedback from the community has so far been positive.

He added: “Shopkeepers think our campsite will be good for them as well as us.

“There’s so much negativity around Southend at the moment, and whilst we are not going to set the world alight, we are providing something that’s much needed in this area.”

Glamping is a growing market with Google searches rocketing up as people look to a different type of “staycation”.

Places such as Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Wales are now dotted with glamping sites, but Essex has far fewer.

“Glamping is certainly becoming more popular in the UK these days,” said Mr Warner. “But until now, there’s been nothing in this part of Essex for people wanting to give glamping a try.

“The nearest glamping facilities to us is in south Essex are Maldon, and Kelvedon Hatch.”

Mr Warner believes the increasing attraction of glamping lies in its convenience. He said: “Glamping doesn’t come with the onerous task of pitching your own tents and packing lots of equipment, and provides the creature comforts of home.” Glamping is seen as a compromise between traditional camping and staying in hotels where you get a sense of the outdoors with home comforts.