D-Day for Trusthorpe caravan park plans

The site of the proposed caravan park. (Inset: Satellite image of the site).

The plans, which relate to a site adjacent to North Road and Main Street, have been recommended for ‘approval with conditions’ by East Lindsey District Council planning officers - despite dozens of objections from neighbouring residents and Mablethorpe & Sutton Town Council.

The land is currently a vacant arable field, and the applicant - Theddlethorpe man Rick Howell - is seeking consent for ‘change of use of land’ to allow it to be used as a touring caravan park.

The caravan park would consist of 153 individual pitches, construction of vehicular and pedestrian access, car parking area, and internal roadways.

However, the proposal has been wholeheartedly rejected by Mablethorpe & Sutton Town Council, in its role as an official consultee to the District Council.

Town councillors cited loss of ecology access and  highways issues; traffic generation; visual impact; noise and disturbance; crime; effect on conservation; health and safety; flood risk; overlooking and loss of privacy; and the cumulative impact of these negative factors combined.

Additionally, there have been more than 40 formal objections from local residents - with many objections focusing around the abundance of caravan sites already in the village, and potential issues with drainage.

According to the District Council, no formal letters of support for the proposal have been received from residents.

One resident’s letter of objection to the Planning Committee stated: “My concern is that, if permission is granted, this will be a passport to future planning applications on the site.

“When considering your decision, please look at the balance within this small area of Trusthorpe which is already well served with caravan sites.

“Another caravan site is totally unwanted, and would be out of balance with  the area.”

Another letter of objection aired concerns over the width of North Road and congestion during the summer months, and also stated: “Sufficient capacity exists locally for touring caravan sites.

“As such, if approval was granted and the development was undertaken and found not to be viable, this may lead to a subsequent proposal for a static caravan site.”

• Visit our website later this week or read next week’s Leader to find out the Planning Committee’s decision.