What a shame. Great looking Air, Stupid UK rules

[barryd]

Just planning a UK trip using the recommended search for sites site. Came across this in Devon. It looks perfect and is exactly the kind of basic private motorhome only type of Aire you would see all over Mainland europe. I was about to add it to my list of possibilities when I read the most recent review saying it was closed as the council say the farmer can only use it for this purpose for 28 days!

Gavercombe Farm

Details for Gavercombe Farm a Overnight parking - no services Tintagel, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, PL34 0DE

www.searchforsites.co.uk

With the UK bursting at the seems in holiday periods isnt it time stupid laws like this were relaxed?

 

[colinm]

I would note it's not anything like an aire, zero facilities, just a parking spot for any vehicle, the 28 day rule applies to car parking (and lots of other things) not just motorhomes. Was talking to a chap in Southwold about this, he opens a field during summer holidays for daytime parking, the council told him he could only do it for 28 days, but he keeps open for the entire school holiday period, council are reluctant to enforce as they have such a parking problem.

 

[barryd]

I hadn't noticed it had no facilities but parking wise its very similar. I am pretty sure if he was allowed to use it all year round he would soon put some kind of service point on it as it would then be lucrative with space for twenty vans on it. Its such a simple solution. All we need is a field to park in, maybe a tap and waste. Just turn up, first come first served, someone comes and collects your fiver. Easy money for them. Easy for us. Why do we have to make everything so legislative and complicated in this country?

 

[alcam]

Just planning a UK trip using the recommended search for sites site. Came across this in Devon. It looks perfect and is exactly the kind of basic private motorhome only type of Aire you would see all over Mainland europe. I was about to add it to my list of possibilities when I read the most recent review saying it was closed as the council say the farmer can only use it for this purpose for 28 days!

Gavercombe Farm

Details for Gavercombe Farm a Overnight parking - no services Tintagel, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, PL34 0DE

www.searchforsites.co.uk

With the UK bursting at the seems in holiday periods isnt it time stupid laws like this were relaxed?

Seems daft . Fortunately , as I remember , Tintagel is well served with parking places

 

[izwozral]

I hadn't noticed it had no facilities but parking wise its very similar. I am pretty sure if he was allowed to use it all year round he would soon put some kind of service point on it as it would then be lucrative with space for twenty vans on it. Its such a simple solution. All we need is a field to park in, maybe a tap and waste. Just turn up, first come first served, someone comes and collects your fiver. Easy money for them. Easy for us. Why do we have to make everything so legislative and complicated in this country?

Because England loves red tape.

 

[GeoffL]

Tintagel is in Cornwall, not Devon, which helps explain why the council won't turn a blind eye: IMO Cornwall County Council are possibly the most anti-motorhome authority in Britain!

 

[trevskoda]

Just think if Russia had invaded England they could only park up 28 days in a field before returning home, that would have taught them a lesson.

 

[alcam]

Tintagel is in Cornwall, not Devon, which helps explain why the council won't turn a blind eye: IMO Cornwall County Council are possibly the most anti-motorhome authority in Britain!

You may well be right but I do park up in many parts of Cornwall and don't have a problem .
As I said Tintagel has (had?) lots of official spaces .

 

[Deleted member 52489]

This is absolutely standard Planning Law - you are allowed to do temporary activities on land for up to 28 days without asking for planning permission. If you want to do it for more than 28 days you need to apply - not to say you will be refused but it allows naeighbours to have a say and object if they want to; it allows road safety issues to be considered, and it allows any other environmental impacts to be assessed. Imagine someone set up a camp site at the bottom of your garden. Would you not want to have a say?

 

[barryd]

This is absolutely standard Planning Law - you are allowed to do temporary activities on land for up to 28 days without asking for planning permission. If you want to do it for more than 28 days you need to apply - not to say you will be refused but it allows naeighbours to have a say and object if they want to; it allows road safety issues to be considered, and it allows any other environmental impacts to be assessed. Imagine someone set up a camp site at the bottom of your garden. Would you not want to have a say?

Works perfectly well in mainland Europe. I have lost count of the number of little Aires on farms or in rural places where someone has set up a private motorhome only aire for ten, twenty or even more vans. I seek them out as they are usually in pleasant surroundings, dirt cheap and peaceful. Just look at the France Passion sites for example. I wonder what permission they need. Lets face it France is known for its bureaucracy but maybe not when it comes to stuff like this. Perhaps they realise the benefit in being the motorhome capital of Europe.

There must be something stopping people doing this here so whatever the hoops are to jump through after 28 days they are clearly too many of them for people like this guy to bother trying to jump through them.

 

[alcam]

This is absolutely standard Planning Law - you are allowed to do temporary activities on land for up to 28 days without asking for planning permission. If you want to do it for more than 28 days you need to apply - not to say you will be refused but it allows naeighbours to have a say and object if they want to; it allows road safety issues to be considered, and it allows any other environmental impacts to be assessed. Imagine someone set up a camp site at the bottom of your garden. Would you not want to have a say?

In my experience standard planning laws are a one way street .
If they want to build a hotel a few yards from your flat with hotel bedroom windows looking directly into your home they will

 

[GeoffL]

You may well be right but I do park up in many parts of Cornwall and don't have a problem .
As I said Tintagel has (had?) lots of official spaces .

Still has. AFAICT, there are a couple of car parks where overnighting is almost encouraged within walking distance of the nearest pub!
That said, perhaps my experiences with CCC has tainted my view. They've put up signage banning motorhomes (even during the day) and/or erected height barriers everywhere we used to go for a day out in the van and everywhere we used to go for a spot of stargazing (our van is our mobile observatory). If you know somewhere in Central, or SE Cornwall with low light pollution and open horizons where overnighting is still welcomed, I'm very interested!...

 

[number14]

IMO Cornwall County Council are possibly the most anti-motorhome authority in Britain!

I thought Pembrokeshire were vying for top honours in that category!

 

[QFour]

You can park in Tintagle overnight in car park but you have to pay. Not much happening everywhere was shut 2 days ago. Paid for two coffees in the pub only to be told it was taking to long to make them so he wasn't doing anymore.

 

[barryd]

Thanks for the replies. Not sure we will fit in Wales. Just trying to work out the logistics of it all. Looks like May / early June Cotswolds, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall then up to Flamborough head for a few weeks to early July then up to the Isle of Arran for middle of July to the end of the school holidays and maybe another island then back end in the Lake District again. See how it goes. Van has to get through its MOT next week and needs a few jobs doing. Brand new scooter which is now just raring to go!! Not so sure about the old van though.

 

[barge1914]

If you have contact details you could put him in touch with CAMpRA who can assist with getting him certification for five vans which does not require applying for planning permission.

 

[scoobydiver]

I hadn't noticed it had no facilities but parking wise its very similar. I am pretty sure if he was allowed to use it all year round he would soon put some kind of service point on it as it would then be lucrative with space for twenty vans on it. Its such a simple solution. All we need is a field to park in, maybe a tap and waste. Just turn up, first come first served, someone comes and collects your fiver. Easy money for them. Easy for us. Why do we have to make everything so legislative and complicated in this country?

Because fat cats in government want more than their fare share from a working man’s pocket !

 

[alcam]

Still has. AFAICT, there are a couple of car parks where overnighting is almost encouraged within walking distance of the nearest pub!
That said, perhaps my experiences with CCC has tainted my view. They've put up signage banning motorhomes (even during the day) and/or erected height barriers everywhere we used to go for a day out in the van and everywhere we used to go for a spot of stargazing (our van is our mobile observatory). If you know somewhere in Central, or SE Cornwall with low light pollution and open horizons where overnighting is still welcomed, I'm very interested!...

Don't think I know of anywhere that meets your wants unfortunately
Good luck

 

[Robmac]

This is absolutely standard Planning Law - you are allowed to do temporary activities on land for up to 28 days without asking for planning permission. If you want to do it for more than 28 days you need to apply - not to say you will be refused but it allows naeighbours to have a say and object if they want to; it allows road safety issues to be considered, and it allows any other environmental impacts to be assessed. Imagine someone set up a camp site at the bottom of your garden. Would you not want to have a say?

There is no such thing as having a say really when it comes to planning.

The only way you can get a say is if you pay for it either over or under the table.