Planners REJECT controversial Trusthorpe caravan site proposal

At a planning committee meeting yesterday (Thursday), members voted 9-0 to refuse the application for the land off North Road to be developed to accommodate 153 tourers.

They decided it would be detrimental both to the location’s countryside character and to the amenities of residents, many of whom had written to express their objections - as had Mablethorpe and Sutton Town Council.

Among the villagers’ concerns were smell from barbecues, noise, litter and potential flooding.

Coun Sid Dennis said: “It’s a good scheme, but it’s too much, too soon, too quick - perhaps it would be more acceptable to villagers if it were phased one stage at a time.”

Similar concerns were sounded by both former Trusthorpe ward representative Coun Stuart Watson and Coun Tom Ashton, with the latter expressing regret that no one had attended the meeting to represent the applicants, F.W. and S.P. Howell.

“That’s disappointing,” he commented.

Earlier, the committee heard a presentation from current ward representative Coun Steve Palmer who was concerned about the road system and its capacity to cope with a flow of tourers.

The unanimous refusal vote came despite the recommendation for approval from senior case officer Graeme Hyde, who acknowledged that there would be “some disturbance” for residents but claimed that it “would not be to the extent that it would harm their amenities”.

According to meeting documents, the site is of importance to a wide range of wildlife including flowers bats, water voles and such birds as lapwings, curlews, barn owls and various songbirds, including yellowhammers, yellow wagtails and certain warblers.

However, ecological issues formed no part of the debate, even though misgivings had been sounded by the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust after it was alerted by a member of the public

“The trust is not a statutory consultee,” commented committee chairman Coun Neil Cooper.

“You can give less weight to its comments if you wish.”