Mobile home 'will tower over garden'

A NEWHAVEN man was furious when he discovered a developer was allowed to site a mobile home at the bottom of his garden - allowing potential nosey neighbours to peer straight into his bedroom window.

Haulfryn Park Homes intends to put a large mobile home adjacent to the back garden of Tony Cross's home in Court Farm Road. More than 100 homes have been built on the site which is called Newhaven Heights.

But Mr Cross said it would tower over his garden and allow people to see into his house from its raised position.

He said: 'It was clear that the proposed mobile home would tower over my garden and completely dominate my property. It would look directly into my bedroom on the back of the house.

'It seems incredible to me that a developer can build the equivalent of a two-bedroom bungalow in an elevated position close to my boundary without being subject to any planning control.'

Mobile homes are not subject to such strict planning regulations as regular buildings and as a result there is more leeway as to where they can be sited.

A Lewes District Council spokeswoman said it was investigating the matter.

'We are aware of Mr Cross's situation and are currently taking legal advice on this as a matter of some urgency, but the council's role is likely to be limited bearing in mind the mobile home park operator has certain allowances under the planning system.'

As the Sussex Express went to press Mr Cross had attended a site meeting with Haulfryns and hoped to reach an agreement whereby the height of the mobile home would be lowered and a 6ft-high screen would be constructed to block it from his view.

Many mobile homes at Newhaven Heights were devastated by the Great Hurricane in 1987.

Since then the new mobile homes, which bear more resemblance to bungalows than caravans, have been marketed as a prestigious new development with breathtaking views of the South Coast.