Neighbours of Secret Garden Glamping in Shrubbs Avenue, Lymington, say they have had to listen to campers having sex and singing karaoke for hours

Neighbours of a ‘secret’ Lymington glamping site say they are “delighted” a planning application has been recommended for refusal after revealing they have had to listen to happy campers having sex and singing karaoke until the early hours.

Mel Sims, an ADHD coach, whose garden in May Avenue backs on to the site at 19 Shrubbs Avenue, told the A&T: “It’s been hell. Our summer is ruined by having to listen to people getting down to it, with the grunting going on for quite a while.

“It really is awful hearing people having sex. Like other neighbours with children, I don’t let my daughter and her friends play out in the garden late in the summer because they could hear it.

“People also sing karaoke until the early hours, and then there are the drunken rows with people screaming at each other.

“On the glamping site’s website they describe it as “tranquil” “peaceful” and a “million miles” from anywhere but it is anything but for us, the neighbours, and to say it is a “million miles” is a joke as it backs on to everyone’s gardens in our roads.”

“If the campers are expecting a ‘tranquil’ place, do they realise that all neighbours can hear them having sex and doing God knows what else?”

The Secret Garden Glamping is run by Liz Feay behind her semi-detached home. It has been operating for five years and offers two 16ft lotus belle tents for hire.

As reported in the A&T, Secret Garden Glamping wants to continue using part of the garden at 19 Shrubbs Avenue as a glamping site for five months of the year.

On its website, the firm says say there is a “quiet time” from 10pm to 8am for campers.

But one neighbour said in his objection to the site on the NFDC planning portal that this rule was never respected.

Daniel Wells said: “Most upsetting perhaps is that on several occasions we have had to close the window to block out the sound of a couple engaging in acts of a sexual nature.

“There was a karaoke machine there for a time, and on one notable sunny afternoon whilst enjoying our garden with friends we had to instead listen to a couple blaring out ‘Islands in the Stream’ over and over, deluded in thinking they were Dolly and Kenny.”

Another neighbour said she had to resort to ear plugs and sleeping pills to block out the noise from the glamping site.

Mel and neighbours in May Avenue got together to fight the application which went in front of Lymington and Pennington planning committee last week.

She said: “We really have to suffer during the summer and we weren’t prepared to do that this year. We actually thought she had approval already before we started investigating.

“People have complained directly to Liz but she doesn’t seem to have done anything to combat any issues.

“For example some neighbours have to suffer ash and smoke getting all over their gardens from the campfire.

“We just weren’t going to have another summer of having to keep our windows closed and worry about what our children can hear.”

Mel said that agent Bob Hull, who presented the planning application, had told councillors at the meeting that sound limitation measures could be imposed.

Mel said: “Who is going to monitor the noise? Are we going to have to call the police or environmental health out of the time? That is a waste of public resources.

“This campsite simply should not be there, if it was allowed how many others would spring up in people’s back gardens?”

Mr Hull said in a letter to the planning committee that Mrs Feay had made the application after an enforcement investigation last year after “one complaint”.

He also said that on some of the dates when neighbours said they suffered disturbance there were no guests at the glamping site.

He added: “It should also be noted that despite their claims to the contrary, residents of May Avenue also enjoy having conversations, playing music, having friends over, having parties, and allowing children to play in their gardens.

“There have been a few occasions when Mrs Feay has had to refund guests because of parties and the anti-social behaviour from properties May Avenue.”

But councillors decided to recommend the application is refused when it goes in front of the NFDC planning committee, which is expected to make a decision on the application before 6th March.

The A&T has contacted Secret Garden Glamping for comment.

Find out about planning applications that affect you at the Public Notice Portal.