Rutland planners have refused a 'Certificate of Lawful Use' for the siting of static caravans at a site at Manton.

The application from a Mr White of Cemetery Lane, Manton, is for such a certificate to site static holiday caravans at the north end of Cemetery Lane.

The application to Rutland County Council received dozens of letters of objection from residents. One feared that so many static caravans would turn Rutland Water into a Skegness, where static caravans are commonplace.

Their objection said: "The original application was for 22 touring caravans and 20 camping plots (tents). Then it was changed to 46 static caravans, i.e. a "caravan park"

rather than a camping site.

"As we said in one of our previous objections, we don't want Manton to become at Skegness-by-the-Sea where static

caravans are the norm."

Manton Parish Council also said the application would amount to a "material change in the use of land." This was because the site already had planning approval to site touring caravans.

The 28-page council report referred to various planning applications and appeals over recent years.

An application to use the former grazing land as a camping and caravan site was lost, but allowed at appeal.

It continued: "The conditions attached to the appeal letter did not restrict the development to any specific numbers. However approved plans, drawing number 101B showed 20

informal camping plots and 20 caravan plots with electrical hook-up."

Planning permission was also granted in March 2017 for

change of use from agricultural grazing land to a camping and caravan site with a new utility building with associated access to serve plots, waste/recycling area, landscape work and drainage, with a variation on planning conditions.

It also said: "Conditions on the appeal decision letter and planning permission decision notice make clear the

development is for holiday accommodation and that it would be unlawful to use the holiday accommodation caravans as permanent dwellings."

Recommending refusal, the report added that as of May 26 there was 'no evidence' from previous planning approval to have no restrictions on the number or types of caravans on the site

"Furthermore, properly interpreted, both permissions grant planning permission limited to 20 caravans to be sited on the 20 plots shown on drawing 101B referred to in both permissions. The development identified in the application would not be permitted by either permission since it would be a breach of the relevant conditions."