IDOLE residents expressed their displeasure with plans to create an RV park on the outskirts of the village at a public meeting on Tuesday (Feb 23).
In a heated debate, the applicant was accused of not answering the questions and concerns of residents, around 40 of whom attended the meeting at St Ann’s Church Hall.
Local County Councillor Mair Stephens chaired the meeting, which was attended by prospective developer Glyn Rees. Mr Rees had previously applied for planning permission for the development – which would involve up to 27 RVs using the site at any time between April and October – last year, but had been advised to withdraw them and resubmit a new plan.
Mr Rees said that he was there to answer any questions put forward, but more technical questions would be best answered by the council’s planning officers.
The first question, and the response, set the tone for the night. When asked why he had chosen an ‘agricultural field in a quiet rural hamlet’ for this development, Mr Rees replied that he had been looking for a site for two years and had found some that seemed ideal, only to find that there was a problem with access.
At this point, an audience member shouted: “That’s the problem here,” leading to Cllr Stephens asking people to take it in turns to speak.
Several audience members, including a former school crossing guard, said that the access to the site – onto a busy main road, would lead to increased risk of accidents. Mr Rees said that the new entrance would have clear visibility in both directions for 90m, which would be the stopping distance for vehicles travelling at 65-70mph.
In response to a resident who said that the speed warning sign was constantly flashing due to speeding drivers, Mr Rees said ‘people must drive within the speed limit’ and suggested a scheme where villagers volunteered as speed monitors, which led to jeers from the audience.
Several residents claimed that the site would be used for RV storage over winter, or would be used by ‘travellers.’
Mr Rees claimed that the average stay would be a month. Responding to claims that the site would be used for winter storage, he said that around 1,000 of the 2,500 RVs in the country were lived in allyear- round. When asked where the others were parked, Mr Rees said that owners parked them on their properties: “The average RV costs around £80,000 – people who own them have means,” he added.
It was also claimed that there would be no demand for the site. One resident said that he had ‘never seen’ and RV on Welsh roads, despite covering more than 40,000 miles a year, and another said that a site in Pembrey told them that they could take 120 RVs. “I would rather be in Pendine than Idole!” he added.
Environmental concerns were also raised. Mr Rees was asked why the ecological survey was carried out in December, when there would be no evidence of Marsh Orchids, which are said to be present on the site. He replied that he had followed the advice of the council and his surveyor.
Mr Rees was also asked why he had withdrawn the plans. He eventually said that this had been done on the advice of planning officers, after it had been revealed that enforcement notices had been served on the site before he owned it. When asked for details about this, he claimed that it was dataprotected. He was then asked if he could be sure that the land was not contaminated, and he admitted he could not. “All the surveys asked for by the council have been done,” he added.
Mr Rees was asked several times whether he would object if a development like this was proposed opposite his house. He responded by saying he would initially object, but the remainder of his answer was shouted down.
Some locals claimed that the site would be used by ‘gypsies and travellers’, with one claiming that if RV owners didn’t use the site, it would be ‘time for travellers.’ Mr Rees was also asked whether if he left gates open, travellers could occupy the land.
Responding, Mr Rees said that there was ‘a possibility gypsies will park in your drive,’ and said that the site would be locked in the close season. In response to questions about security, he said that he lived nearby, and would monitor the site in winter, while in summer ‘people staying there’ would mean the site was secure.
Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Stephens said that even more people would have attended the meeting, but several were on holiday. “There is definitely strong local feeling about the matter,” she added. “This is not a community that so far has come to fisticuffs, but we are very concerned.”
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