Tourists 'disgusted' by threat to Littlehampton camping/caravan site

The Daisy Fields touring site, off Worthing Road, has been given notice to quit by 2011 by Arun District Council, which wants to redevelop the land for housing and public open space.

With the season now in full swing, Les and Jean Rutherford, who have run the site for 12 years, have already collected almost 600 signatures and are confident they can pass the 2,000 mark by the time Daisy Fields closes for the winter.

Mr Rutherford handed in the first batch of 114 petition sheets at a full meeting of Arun councillors in February, when the matter was referred to a meeting of the council's Littlehampton regeneration sub-committee, taking place on Tuesday next week. Another batch of more than 400 signatures will be presented to the sub-committee.

Families turned away

Tourists from Holland, Germany, Denmark and Sweden are among those who have signed the petition, which claims that the caravan/camping site could be replaced by high-rise flats. People living in nearby Oakcroft Gardens and Highdown Drive have also added their names.

"People are disgusted with the idea that the site might close," said Mr Rutherford. "Visitors can't find any other sites in the area. We have a lot of people turning up on spec after seeing the brown sign off the A259, as late as midnight.

"On the last bank holiday weekend we were full up. We turned away 62 families because they wanted electricity. It would cost us #80,000 to provide more electricity points, but we can't justify the expense if we have to leave in a couple of years.

"If we have to turn people away, these are people lost to the local economy."

Log cabins

Mr Rutherford would like to redevelop Daisy Fields with a business partner in a scheme which would see some housing built and the camping and caravan facilities improved and extended, to include log cabins.

He added that Arun had said it was looking for an alternative touring site within the north Littlehampton "masterplan" area, but had so far failed to suggest anywhere suitable.

He estimates that site currently brings tourists with spending power of around #1m to the Littlehampton area.

A report to the sub-committee says Arun would like to retain touring caravan site facilities within Littlehampton, and any discussion regarding the future of Daisy Fields would need to take this requirement into consideration, and if necessary, identify an alternative site within north Littlehampton.

The report points out that Mr and Mrs Rutherford were told that they would not have rights to renew the 10-year lease they were granted in 2001, when it expired, because the land was part of an overall area designated for the development of a masterplan for north Littlehampton.

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