How many is too many on a CL?

Does the public know the difference? Do you think the Local Auth really want to get involved in the difference? Will Cls or Cs really turn customers who invariably pay cash  away? This is reality not some rose tinted view as we see often here re "overcrowding" etc.

Thinking about the origin of the legislation which gave authority for planning exemption, I think the idea is that 5 caravans are unlikely to bother any neighbouring residents, and there would be only very low impact on the appearance of the rural surroundings.  

Regardless of whether the campers are bothered or not about anyadditional illegal campers, there would be an impact on the rural surroundings which some people would dislike. You can't have an exception to permit 5 and then allow the place look like Butlins.

Depends where the cl/cs is and whether the "neighbours" are "friendly"

I stayed recently on a C&CC CS (their equivalent to a CL) and was politely asked by the owner not to put up any flag or TV mast as they would be seen by his neighbour some 500 yards away and she would get upset.

He explained that he had planted trees to screen the view, but she also complained to the planning authority about that. At one time, apparently, he had some families staying who knew each other and had gathered to celebrate a family birthday with a party. She was down complaining about that, and according to this burly, thick set, hill farmer, chased him round the kitchen table!

We are a CL owner.  We have 6 electric hook ups but only 5 are in use at a time.  We have 4 hard standings and 2 grass.  By having 6 pitches it gives the members more choice ie 4 hard standings and 1 grass, or 3 hardstandings and 2 grass, etc.  Some people prefer grass and some people prefer hardstanding.  If the electric hook up goes wrong, then we have a spare one. 

Please do not assume that CLs with more than 5 hook ups are just interested in income!

We are in a similar situation.  We have a CL with 11 electric hook-ups but our guests will bear witness that we stick to the rules about having no more than 5 vans here at any one time.

In our case, the extra hook-ups stem from a previous owner who doubled the size of the CL and was planning to convert to a larger commercial caravan site. 

When we bought the farm 15 years ago, we decided to stay as a 5-van CL and use the extra land and hook-ups to offer guests more choice & space and to give us the opportunity to 'rest' an an area if it became over-used.

Sometimes I feel that we offer our guests too much choice - the record for 'longest time to choose a pitch' is currently 3½ hours.

Ian Kelly
01691 622951
Holiday@BirchHill.co.uk
www.BirchHill.co.uk

Birch Hill Farm – a multi-award winning hideaway in the beautiful lake-lands of Shropshire - exclusively for members of the Caravan and Motorhome Club

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Have just returned from a week on a cl with seven HS pitches, all pitches were in use most of the week and one night saw a MH parked up on the grass overnight. We went to look at a neighbouring cl. It had twelve HS pitches and eight were in use. 

For those that say more pitches give more choice then these two cl's  blow that theory out of the window, In fact the second cl  showed six pitches on Google Earth obviously six have been added since the imagery was taken. Also as all pitches on both sites were HS so pitch rotation can't be used as an excuse.

So going back to my post on page 2. What do site inspectors have to say about these sites, obviously not a lot.

I have just left a site report on the cl I was on and did mention that seven vans were using it most of the week.

It is good that you are leaving a site report to warn members that value the 5 van network but doing so will not solve the problem, you must report these sites to, CLResponse@caravanclub.co.uk  in order to get something done.

And the answer from CAMC to this specific report of infringement of the rules and threat to CL's generally is..............?

Whats the bet they will soon leave the network for small commercials. Another decline in the network. Was there sufficient room for all the units to coexist? Its happening all the time.