Caravan allowed to stay at sports club 69 years after 'temporary' permission first granted
A static caravan has been allowed to remain at a sports club almost 70 years after “temporary” permission was first granted.
The mobile home is needed for security purposes at Wolverhampton Rugby Union Football Club, a report to South Staffordshire Council’s planning committee said.
Temporary stationing of a caravan at the Castlecroft grounds was first approved in 1952 and the consent has been renewed several times since, with a replacement mobile home allowed in 2011 and previous last five-year-consent granted in 2016.
On Tuesday, South Staffordshire Council’s planning committee unanimously agreed to allow the static caravan to remain on site for another five years.
The club is located in the green belt, where development considered inappropriate is restricted unless it is considered there are “very special circumstances”.
The committee report said: “The mobile home measures 12m by 4m and has two bedrooms with a bathroom and en suite to the main bedroom a living/dining area and kitchen. The home is now occupied by the caretaker and his spouse.
“The applicants have stated that there are on-going issues with crime at the site. The permanent presence of a groundsman/caretaker at the site would deter potential criminals and alleviate the problems with anti-social behaviour associated with youths using the car park. This would be of benefit both to the clubs at the site, and to the residents of the adjacent Castlecroft apartments.
“In addition to the security benefit derived from the presence of the groundsman, there has been a static caravan at the site which has been in place for nearly 65 years. The mobile home is a temporary structure and would be on site for a temporary time period.
“The proposed development is sited in a well screened location and will not be visually intrusive. The static caravan will be removed and the site restored when the need for it no longer applies. I consider these circumstances together represent very special circumstances sufficient to override the presumption against inappropriate development in the Green Belt.”
