Hurst View Caravan Park appeal hearing

On the 3rd of July there was a Government Inspector led Planning Enforcement Appeal held at Lymington Town hall.

This had been called after repeated non compliance by the appellant, owner of Hurst View Caravan Park, with a New Forest District Council Planning Order over the last two years. The order was to remove certain camping and caravan equipment from a 0.37 hectare area which represents an alleged illegal extension to the official camping area.

The hearing involved two barristers and was scheduled to last for three days. The Solent Protection Society had sent a letter in support of the enforcement order for the following reasons:

• The site is just outside the New Forest National Park Boundary and is adjacent to the Keyhaven and Lymington Marshes Nature Reserve which has several protected designations. The site also overlooks the West Solent which is the subject of the West Solent Marine Conservation Area working paper by the Society.
• There is already evidence of considerably increased traffic activity and the Caravan Park is visible from the Solent, particularly in the winter when the hedges are not in leaf. In addition there is concern that an area of 1-2 acres of grazing land adjacent to the reserve could easily become incorporated into the site by creeping use and precedent. This would be inappropriate so close to such sensitive wild area.

A member of SPS Council attended the first day of the hearing but it is not expected that the result will be known for some time.

Dr Chris Willard