Holiday park in green belt allowed extension after winning appeal

Cannock Chase Council refused permission last year for Silver Trees Holiday Park to extend because of its location in the West Midlands green belt. The plans received support locally however – and one councillor bought a caravan at the park after going on a site visit.

The Rugeley site, which last year experienced its busiest holiday season for two decades, also sought permission to change two existing areas to accommodate static caravans in lieu of touring caravans as tourer pitches have not been offered since 2003.

A new application was submitted to the council this year for a re-layout of the site to accommodate up to 103 static caravans in lieu of 40 touring caravans. An extension to the park was also proposed to accommodate a further 12 static holiday caravans.

The latest proposals were recommended for refusal by planning officers because it was considered inappropriate development in the green belt. But planning committee members felt that the benefits of the scheme, including support for the local rural economy and ongoing work at the site to boost sustainability and biodiversity, outweighed potential harm, and voted to approve the application.

Councillor Paul Witton said: “The impact of the extension will be minimal and the site will not be visually unattractive.”

But Councillor Andrea Muckley said: “It is green belt and we are blessed to have this open space. If there aren’t any special circumstances it is not only against the rules to build in the green belt, it is a crime.”

Planning committee member Lisa Wilson spoke in support of the application but did not take part in the committee debate or vote. She told fellow committee members: “I visited the site last year on a site visit and I was so impressed I purchased a caravan the day after.

“It doesn’t have any facilities and there is no shop on there. It has very strict rules – you can’t drive your car on there after a certain time in the evening.

“Tourism needs are not being met in the area by any stretch of the imagination. We have lots of weekend visitors but we don’t have the space for them to stay.

“The patch of land where these caravans are going is not visible from outside the site. It’s not going to be an eyesore.”

Silver Trees has been in existence since 1949 and in recent years its current owners have won gold in the David Bellamy Conservation Awards for their environmental work.

Trevor Barber, one of the owners, told the planning committee meeting: “It is a family business we have owned for 21 years this coming December and we live on the park. Things have moved on and customer expectations are greater now, for bigger and more luxurious units, which is why we are here today.

“The reason for acquiring the field for 12 pitches is to satisfy the demand for larger holiday homes and to protect the unique peaceful nature. It’s not an open space, it is surrounded on four sides by existing hedgerows.

“Since we took ownership the wildlife has blossomed. We have a nature reserve and it is a sanctuary for deer, birds, bats and invertebrates. We have a dedicated wildlife champion.

“Over the years we have committed to engage with the community and we have established a sustainable business that lives in harmony with our Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty surroundings.”