Following our earlier on how the “Budleigh Boys” councillors view their local AONB:
Owl has been surprised to receive quite a bit of correspondence on the subject and particularly about the AONB planning application that they so enthusiastically supported – at the caravan and camping site known as Pooh Cottage.
The site started life as a small cottage (2 bedrooms) on what was then called the Shortwood estate – in a very quiet and secluded rural setting which was purchased by a Ms Carter.
“Pooh Cottage”, as the house and site is now known, then began an expansion, some of it (see below) without benefit of any planning permission. It now comprises a large house, another building now split into two residential properties, a building erected as a horse’s stable and now a large bungalow, and three permanent “mobile homes”. A history of over 40 planning applications, retrospective application and enforcement orders, illustrate how the expansion continues.
The caravan site sprang up in the early 1990s. It started as a certificated site, with permission for 5 caravans on a stipulated number of days, but rapidly grew and grew in scope until in 2006, Ms Carter applied for a “Certificate of Lawfulness” for 47 caravans between 1st April until 31st October of each year, on the grounds that she had done so for 10 years, completely unhindered by any action from EDDC. This certificate was granted by EDDC – for a site considered by many to be entirely unsuitable and unsustainable to a large commercial enterprise.
Neighbours of the site, very concerned about how the site had grown and continued to grow, went to the Local Government Ombudsman, who found in their favour, and awarded them a large cash sum (from the pockets of the taxpayers of East Devon, of course) as “compensation” – though this was, of course, no help after the event. Unfortunately, the certificate cannot be rescinded without an Act of Parliament, which is obviously unfeasible.
The Ombudsman judged that EDDC had erroneously granted the Certificate of Lawfulness, and strongly censured their actions throughout the whole way in which they had handled the growth and expansion of Pooh Cottage “Holiday Park” and recommended that a very tight rein be kept on any planning excursions from Ms Carter in the future. This has not apparently happened, and the expansion continues, with repeated battles every season to limit the use of the site to the permitted terms. Councillors have supported expansion even after the Ombudsman’s remarks and when their officers have recommended refusal (see link above)
Throughout all these battles, the former “East Devon Business Forum” supported the owners of Pooh Cottage at every turn, saying that it brought jobs and prosperity to the area (though there seems to be little evidence of these jobs far).
A campaign was instituted some years ago by residents in the area to oust their then councillors, who both supported the business interests of the owners of the site throughout. Former councillors Florey and Franklin are no longer representives of the people of Budleigh Salterton.
However, the current councillors have continued to enthusiastically support expansion of the site with the exact same reasons former councillors used and which the Local Government Ombudsman criticised.
East Devon Watch 