Council demands action over caravans

Furious town councillors have launched a scathing attack on Rother's planning department, claiming it failed to act after three caravans were illegally built on a site in Battle.

The static caravans appeared on Greenacres Farm, Loose Farm Lane, just off Hastings Road, recently. None have planning permission.

Battle councillors contacted Rother District Council, asking them to order a stop to the unauthorised works.

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Speaking at Tuesday's Battle Town Council meeting, Cllr Ron Harris said: "We knew nothing of any application for three residential caravans on site.

"It was reported to Rother planning officers when there was only one caravan on the site and we asked them to do something so there would be no more put on site."

But Cllr Harris said the planning office told him nothing could be done because a planning application for the caravans has been submitted to the council.

Cllr Harris said: "This must be total rubbish.

"We fear there are going to be additional caravans on the site.

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"There has to be some sort of enforcement action. It is unacceptable."

He added that members of the town council's planning committee were "extremely annoyed" with how the situation had been handled.

Cllr Harris says he has already seen the three caravans for sale on the internet for 30,000 each.

Cllr Richard Jessop also slated Rother's response, saying: "The officers continuously want to roll over backwards and have their bellies rubbed. They are not professional people looking after the people of Battle."

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The council has written to Rother, demanding to know why action has not been taken.

Council chairman David Hussey has asked Battle's district councillors to express the town council's feelings "in the strongest possible terms" when the planning application comes before Rother next month.

Cllr Hussey said: "We have been here before. I'm sorry, but Rother is a bit of a joke on the enforcement side."

Rother District Council is currently looking for a suitable location for a permanent traveller's site.

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Cllr Paula Fisher said she was concerned that similar unauthorised encampments could appear in the meantime.

She said: "Can we urge Rother to look very quickly for this traveller's site."

Rother District Council head of planning Tim Hickling said: "The council initially received an application for an agricultural caravan to be sited on the land in question, this has been refused.

"Another retrospective application for three separate caravans has been received and is currently being processed, it would be down to the committee to decide the outcome in due course."

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