PLANS for a caravan park near Wellington to be used all year round have been submitted to county planners.

Current planning conditions enforced by Somerset Council prevent Gamlins Farm Caravan Park, in Greenham, from becoming a residential site.

The conditions include a 14-day restriction on a user’s stay, and the closure of the site between October 31 and March 1 annually.

Planning agent Mark Heppenstall said the reason for enforcing conditions is because “(Somerset Council) is not prepared to allow a residential site to become established, thereby ensuring that adequate camping/caravanning facilities are available for tourists.”

The applicant, Edward Giles, submitted his application on December 12 which sought to allow visitors to stay at the site for more than 14 days, and to permit all year-round use of the site.

Mr Heppenstall said: “The applicant is not seeking any form of permission to create a residential caravan site.

“Under the present restrictions, the applicant is unable to compete fairly with other local caravan sites which can offer stays of more than 14 consecutive days and stays during the months of November to February (inclusive) and this is detrimental to the business.”

Mr Giles is of the view that the existing conditions are “so restrictive on the operation of the site as a caravan park they act as a hinderance and a barrier to allowing effective operation of the site on an all year round basis, unlike most other caravan sites in the local area which are able to operate lawfully without such restrictions all year round.”

Mr Heppenstall said dropping the conditions would still allow Mr Giles to prevent a ‘residential caravan site’ from being established.

Somerset Council is expected to make a decision on the application by February 13. Comments for or against the application may be submitted for consideration by January 10.