Isle of Wight caravan park Silver glades seeks to rectify breach

Silver Glades Caravan Park on Solent Road, Cranmore, is seeking a Lawful Development Certificate to use the site as a caravan park 365 days a year — despite operating as such since April 1999.

The land is authorised for use as a caravan and camping site from March 1 to October 31 only each year.

No action has ever been taken against the breach by the Isle of Wight Council, planning agents say, nor a breach of condition notice served.

Planning documents submitted by Laister Planning, on behalf of the applicant Silverglade Court, say they are trying to establish the lawful principle of the site so it is necessary to demonstrate it had been used in breach of planning for at least ten or more continuous years.

If it has, and the lawful development certificate is issued, it is then immune from enforcement action.

Through a planning statement, Laister Planning has laid out its evidence to support the application, saying the caravans, in their current location, have been that way since 1980.

Aerial images of the site, they say, show the caravans, the ancillary infrastructure and facilities have continued to be physically consistent features on the land.

The caravan park pictured in 2022 by Google Maps.

They also argue the nature of static caravans once installed have a degree of permanency so it is highly probable the only time they would have been removed was to be replaced.

Permission was first granted for a caravan park on the site in 1959 with the stipulation it could only be used from March 1 to Oct 31.

Through a series of planning applications, the site has been extended and altered to what it is today.

• You can view the application HERE.
• Comments can be submitted until May 16.

The caravan park made headlines last year when it felled mature oak trees in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with no licence.

• Caravan park tree devastation slammed by Cranmore residents
• "A disaster" ­— Cranmore residents speak out on tree felling

Cranmore residents branded the decimation a disaster and a Tree Preservation Order was slapped on the site following the felling.

It stopped any further destruction without permission, on the grounds the trees were at risk from development pressures and inappropriate works.

The matter was being investigated by the Forestry Commission but has since been referred to Defra's Investigation Services in December last year.

The criminal investigation is still ongoing and as such, a Defra spokesperson could not comment further.