NEIGHBOURS are likely to rekindle their opposition to the opening of Harrow's first caravan park now that formal proposals have been brought forward.
Harrow Community Sports applied today to Harrow Council for planning permission for a change of use of former sports pitches in the north-east corner of the fields at Broadfields Country Club in Headstone Lane from vacant land to a caravan and camping park with 75 pitches.
In January last year, when the Observer reported the organisation had requested an environmental impact assessment from the council, lots of people wrote in to state their worries and point out the perceived inpracticalities of the idea such as the 6ft 6in width restriction in Headstone Lane.
The fears of reader Ann-Marie Casey, of Headstone Lane, were typical. She wrote: "I am devastated at the prospect of looking out on to a caravan site.
"I really don't know where to start with my objections as there is nothing positive to come out of this proposal - traffic, noise, untidiness, crime, affect on property prices, not to mention the gross image it would present from my bedroom window."
Harrow Community Sports' application shows it would demolish the existing buildings on the 2.2 hectares of Green Belt land, and to construct a single storey reception block housing toilets and showers, and a waste water disposal building.
Trees and scrubs would be planted on the boundaries to create a buffer zone around the caravan and campaing site, which would be licensed to the Camping and Caravanning Club GB to run.
A transport assessment by Stilwell Partnership for NW London Caravan and Camping, a company created by the directors of Harrow Community Sport, said: "Over the last 20 years the company operating the facilities has made a substantial loss.
"In order to minimise further losses, the company has decided to cease the playing of football, except on the all-weather pitches. This means 2.2 hectares of land has become available for other uses.
"Such uses put forward for consideration included: paintballing, go karting, an astrological observation station and flying model aircraft.
"However, it has been decided that a caravan and camping park would be better suited to the site and locality."
Vehicles would enter the site via Headstone Lane and exit via Broadfields, where double yellow lines would be introduced to create passing points with the loss of six on-street parking spaces.
The transport statement says the park would likely boast full capacity during July and August and remain at approximately 65 per cent occupancy, or less, during the other months.
n What do you think? E-mail ianproctor@trinitysouth.co.uk
