Newark and Sherwood District Council approve plans by Robin Hood Retreat Caravan Park, Bilsthorpe, to allow holidays all year round

An application to allow caravan owners to holiday in their vans all year round at a Bilsthorpe holiday park has been approved, subject to a number of conditions.

Robin Hood Retreat Caravan Park, on Belle Eau Park, applied to Newark and Sherwood District Council’s planning committee to remove a condition which states that pitches permitted for holiday use shall not be occupied by the same person for more than 28 days in any calendar year to restrict residential use, as well as retrospective works to facilitate the siting of up to 15 additional touring caravans for holiday use.

A statement by for the applicants described the 28-day restriction as “overly restrictive in nature” and “does not take into account the recent trends and personal preferences in holidaying”.

“Since the onset of Covid, people’s working practices are far more flexible and with the improvements in caravan and lodge design, all year-round holidaying is far more popular and more modern planning conditions reflect this,” the statement said.

“Also, for those who have semi or fully retired, their use of a caravan or lodge may extend over the whole season even though their main residence is elsewhere in the country.”

The application also stated that allowing year-round occupancy will “give more flexibility on the length and frequency of tourist visits, would support the continued operation of an existing tourism facility, together with other leisure and tourist attractions in the district”.

Bilsthorpe Parish Council had not responded to the application, but Kirklington Parish Council has objected to the proposals as “the site is intended for use for holidays, it is sensible that a time limit for stays is set in order to be able to define it as 'not being permanent'“ and that the current time limit is “sufficient”.

The application had previously been refused by the district council in June 2018, which was then appealed and dismissed, and was heard once again at the council’s planning meeting on Thursday (October 3).

Ward member Penny Rainbow had said that the removal of the condition would enable the site to become a permanent residential site which would have an impact on local tourism trade:

“Tourism is important to us all, it generates revenue, jobs, and in some cases supports communities. Visitor ‘turn-over’ is vital for the surrounding area and its attractions.”

However, at the meeting Penny pointed out past issues with parking and sewerage waste, where a waste tank had leaked onto a neighbouring field had occurred, and that she would not be supporting the application.

Emma Oldham asked if there was a “happy medium” somewhere, as she understood that the 28 day restriction does hinder business, but revoking it completely is a “step too far”.

The applicant had stated that Conditions 05 and 06 on the application were sufficient to prevent the 15 touring pitches from being used for permanent residential occupation, which were that the owner “shall maintain a register of occupiers for each calendar year” and the development “does not allow for any pitch or any caravan to be occupied for residential purposes at any time”.

Tim Wildgust said: “The question is on what level of enforcement do we have as I there’s no material grounds we can refuse, but we should be doing something to ensure certain conditions are held.

“I cannot vote against this but I have concerns of policing our own conditions.”

It was suggested by officers that the register of occupiers would suffice to ensure that these conditions are being met, which chairman Andy Freeman said he was “reassured” by, and moved that the application by approved under the condition that enforcement engage more closely to ensure the conditions are met.

The application was approved, narrowly, with six for the approval and five against.