Fleur de Lys caravan park in Boldre allowed to keep 12th caravan put in without consent

THE owners of a mobile home park in the Forest have been allowed to keep an extra caravan which was put in without consent and “thoroughly enraged” residents.

The additional mobile home was installed at Fleur de Lys caravan park in Boldre in August 2023, to accommodate the site owner’s son and daughter-in-law and their young baby, an NFDC licensing committee meeting heard.

Site owner Kathleen Fitzgerald told the meeting: “Last year my youngest grandson was born – quite poorly and premature.

“We were very worried and tried to support my son and daughter-in-law at this time.

“We purchased the new home to support our family.”

The park had NPA planning permission for an undefined number of mobile homes, so the additional caravan was an NFDC licensing issue rather than a planning one, the meeting was told.

However, previous licensing applications in 1999 and 2015 to increase the number of units to 12 were refused by NFDC over the impact they would have on other residents.

The new home was installed in breach of the licence agreement so that the family could return from hospital after a 12-week stay. The home was later moved to create space of six meters to meet the requirements of a site licence.

But speaking against the application was neighbour Miss Knight who has lived at Fleur de Lys for 41 years: “We strongly object to this 12th home which has already been sited without prior permission.”

“We were thoroughly, thoroughly enraged and dismayed with horror by what we witnessed taking place on 7th August 2023. There wasn’t any consultation with the residents about a 12th caravan coming onto the park, ever. They just went ahead and breached conditions.”

Speaking on behalf of the some of the residents of the park, NFDC Cllr Dan Poole described the installation as a “stressful and difficult time for many residents”.

He continued: “To my mind this case is actually very straightforward. The request for retrospective approval is not due to a mistake or oversight – the Fitzgeralds knowingly sited this unit with full understanding that they were doing so in breach of their licence. They just hoped to get away with it.”

“There was confusion and stress – the residents had clearly not expected it.”

Debating the scheme Cllr Steve Clarke described the site as “cluttered” adding: “It is a site that is using every available piece of space, but it still seems to be compliant.”

However, Cllr Alan Glass countered: “I personally wouldn’t want to live on that site because it is so crowded. We had a licence for 11 for a reason – not to overcrowd it. I can see no reason whatsoever to change that licence.”

Recommending support for the application, Cllr David Harrison said: “We have to confine ourselves to the issues at hand. We have been guided by our officers to do just that.”

Cllr Alvin Reid said he was “conflicted”, especially by accounts of the impact on existing residents’ mental health: “It just makes the site cramped and it doesn’t make it into an enjoyable living area,” said Cllr Reid. “I don’t like this – I think it’s wrong.”

After a lengthy debate, committee members were tied at 4-4 over whether to grant permission for the licensing amendment. It was then agreed on committee chair Cllr Neil Tungate’s casting vote.