A well-known Rutland publican and award-winning tourism operator has been refused permission to expand his caravan site.

Jason Allen of The Fox, Pinfold Lane, North Luffenham has applied to Rutland County Council for a change of use of 1.4ha of land at The Paddock, Lyndon Road, Manton.

Since 2010, the site has been used as a Camping and Caravanning Club certified site for five touring caravans and ten tents.

As previously reported on Nub News, his application was to expand this to 20 pitches, accommodating either caravans/motorhomes or tents plus a caravan for a resident seasonal warden.

It would also open the site up to non-members of the camping and caravanning club.

A report by Rutland County council planning staff said the application received two objections from local residents on the grounds of increased traffic/highway safety, the impact on Rutland Water, it being a 'blot on the landscape' and being outside permitted areas for such development.

But one supportive response said Rutland Water doesn't have enough touring caravan sites and the site would help local retailers with no noticable increase in traffic movements.

However, the report noted the site south of Rutland Water was not within one of the five designated Rutland Water Recreation Areas.

Council policy is 'clear' that caravan and camping sites are not acceptable outside of the defined areas, it continued, and as such the application is recommended for refusal for this reason.

It added: "While the land is being used for caravan/camping, this use is run under a Camping or Touring Caravan Exemption Certificate, as opposed to an existing planning permission."