Caravan park plan approved (From This Is Wiltshire)

A CARAVAN site is set to double in size – despite fierce objections from villagers.

A private planning application for five extra caravan pitches, day rooms and children’s play area at Four Oaks Park in Lydiard Plain has been given the go-ahead by Wiltshire Council’s northern area planning committee.

The proposals have been met with strong opposition from Lydiard Millicent Parish Council, who claim the site, which currently has six permanent pitches and four transit pitches, is not appropriate for expansion.

Residents said they feared the site will become a large travellers settlement and will upset the surrounding community.

Councillor, Mollie Groom (Con, Wootton Bassett East), spoke in objection to the application at the meeting and said she was disappointed with the decision, but added it was made under government planning frameworks.

“We weren’t happy bunnies,” she said. “But we could do absolutely nothing because of what we were told was a present requirement with the Regional Spatial Strategy,” she said. “They listened to what we had to say, but it was decided beforehand because of the legal position.

“That is how things stand, we can do little about it.”

The plans had been recommended for approved by council officers before the meeting, which was held at Wiltshire Council chambers in Chippenham on September 19.

Coun Groom added: “The road next to it, the B4696, is fast and there is a bridge nearby where lots of accidents have been recorded. We weren’t happy with it – plus the fact there are a number of wildlife sites nearby and a site of special scientific interest one or two miles away.

“If we were to abide by national and local policies it should have been refused.”

Conditions have been attached to the approval, which state the development must start in the next three years, that it cannot be brought into use until the parking area is laid out and details of the works for the disposal of sewerage have been submitted to and approved in writing by the planning authority.

Conditions also state that, at any one time, there shall be no more than 22 caravans, of which no more than 11 shall be a static caravan or mobile home and no more than 11 shall be a touring caravan.

Tom Pepperall,chairman of Lydiard Millicent Parish Council, said that the authority was disappointed with the decision.

He added: “ They may have been restricted by the technicality of the previous guidelines under the RSS, but that is about to be cancelled and I don’t think it should have been incorporated.

“We felt that they should have taken more notice of current guidelines rather than what was written in black and white.”

To find out more about the plans visit www.wiltshire.gov.uk and search for application number 12/1291FUL.