A proposal to expand a caravan park in Blunsdon St Andrew has been refused – twice.
Swindon Borough Council turned down the proposals by A Griffin of Park Home Life Ltd to add another two dozen mobile homes to the park it runs at Blunsdon Abbey Park.
The mobile home estate already has 86 caravans on site and inhabited. But it applied last year for a certificate of legality for the siting of up to 112 caravans, anywhere on the land it owns.
The company’s application rested on its contention that planning permission had already been granted for the siting of up to 112 mobile homes over the entirety of the company’s site- most of which is green fields.
Although Swindon Borough Council planners agreed that a number of caravans were permitted – they said it didn’t mean the company could put them anywhere.
Its decision to refuse the application said: “Both parties accept that the site has planning permission for 112 caravans as is cited in the total number of caravans permitted over the full applications granted.
“It is reasonable to conclude on the basis of the manner the site has been developed and the previous permissions granted up until 1957, that only the northern portion of the site has planning permission for the siting of caravans.”
As a result, the certificate of legality was refused on the grounds that allowing vans anywhere on the site would constitute over-development and a material change of use.
Park Home Life did not like that decision and appealed to a government-appointed planning inspector.
The company’s statement to the inspector said: “On the balance of probability, planning permission for 112 caravans within the appeal site was implemented and is extant.
“All parties agree that cumulative permission was granted for 112 units and the previous Inspector has confirmed that this cumulative planning permission includes the entire appeal site without any planning conditions.”
But the inspector Graham Self did not agree. His decision said: “The onus of proof in this type of case lies with the appellant.
“I find that there is too much doubt and uncertainty for this requirement to have been met, on the balance of probability.
“I conclude that the council’s refusal to grant a certificate of legality for the development was well founded.”
It is possible for Park Home Life to take the matter further to the High Court, but for most applications, a refused appeal is the end of the matter.