Two of Sheppey's biggest holiday parks have been sold in a multi-million deal.

Both Ashcroft Coast caravan park and Shurland Dale caravan park at Eastchurch have been snapped up by Cosgrove Leisure Parks from Parkdean Resorts.

Cosgrove Leisure had already set up a new holding company back in September but the sale was denied by Parkdean bosses when the news was broken by the Sheerness Times Guardian.

Cosgrove Leisure already owns the 33-acre Sheerness Holiday Park and the 17-acre Central Beach caravan site with 156 pitches on the beach at Leysdown.

The deal, announced yesterday (Thursday) makes Cosgrove Leisure the biggest holiday operator on the Island.

The family firm, led by director Paddy Cosgrove, first moved to Sheppey in July 2013 when it took over the 420 mobile homes at Sheerness Holiday Park.

In five years it has bought up three other parks.

The firm is also redeveloping a park for lodges in Chertsey, Surrey on the banks of the Thames.

Last year Mr Cosgrove, who runs the business with his son Patrick and grandson Paddy Junior, boasted that their takeover of Central Beach would “raise the standards of holiday parks on the Island to the benefit of all.”

Operations manager Andy Johnstone said at the time: “We are hoping to invest more on Sheppey and are interested in talking to owners of any other holiday parks on the Island.”

But they are no stranger to controversy. The company won't allow any caravans older than 20 years.

And it caused a storm earlier this year when it tried to block off part of its private beach at Leysdown with an iron fence.

This summer it was told by a planning inspector to tear down a giant storage shed on the Sheerness site which had been built without permission.

But the company says it has made huge investments on the Island, refurbishing clubhouses, pools and children’s play areas.

In a post on its Facebook page the company said: "We understand that with change comes uncertainty. So let us assure you all that Cosgrove Leisure Parks UK has a long history of investing heavily into newly acquired parks.

"This covers all aspects of a park and its owners' wellbeing.

"It is our sincerest intention to do the same with every park we have been involved in.

"We are looking to provide a smooth transition and have worked tirelessly for the past five months to ensure that process will be seamless for all concerned.

"Please let us assure you that our team will be on hand during the exchange of ownership and moving forward to address any concerns you may have."

In September, Parkdean Resorts's chief executive officer John Waterworth said: "There is no agreement for the sale of these parks and any speculation suggesting this is premature to say the least.

"Whilst the company may have had an approach from a third party about a possible purchase, you will appreciate a business of our size receives approaches of this nature for individual parks throughout the year.

“If we were to agree to the sale of any of our parks, we would always consult with our park employees first and foremost and also communicate with our owners, suppliers and stakeholders well in advance of any sale.”

This week he said: “We can now confirm that Parkdean Resorts has agreed to sell Ashcroft Coast and Shurland Dale Holiday Parks to Cosgrove Leisure.

"We communicated this to employees and holiday home owners at the earliest opportunity on the day the sale was agreed in November.

"Our employees - whom we wish well for the future - have transferred to the new owners.”