Swarland caravan park expansion rejected amid complaints

Owners of Percy Wood Golf and Country retreat wanted to add 60 more caravans

Plans to expand a caravan park have been rejected following dozens of complaints from residents.

The owners of Percy Wood Golf and Country Retreat at Swarland, Northumberland, had wanted to install 60 static caravans taking the total number to more than 400.

Northumberland County Council received 87 objections, saying extra caravans would exacerbate flooding problems.

Councillors rejected the plan despite it being recommended for approval.

Resident Jackie Stent said villagers felt the site would impose on the village and put a strain on services, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

She said: "Drainage, sewage and flooding is a huge problem in Swarland. Last year a woman's garden was flooded with sewage. The flooding risk associated with the extra caravans is high."

Parish councillor Susanne Stanley added: "The discharge of foul water is likely to be exacerbated by increased demand."

Trevor Thorne, who represents the Shilbottle ward on the county council, said Swarland had become a "village of two settlements", the houses and the caravans.

The application's agent, Harvey Emms, told a planning committee he appreciated the concern of residents but that there was "no supportable planning reasons to reject the application".

The council's development service manager, Elizabeth Sinnamon, said all council planning policies supported the application, on the grounds it would bring a boost to tourism.