PETITIONERS who thought they had seen off controversial plans for a caravan park in Harrow are gearing up for a second round of objections now the proposals have been resubmitted.
Neighbours of Broadfields Country Club in Headstone Lane, Harrow, were delighted in May when Harrow Community Sports withdrew on the eve of a Harrow Council’s planning committee meeting an application to develop the playing fields into a caravan and camp site with 75 pitches.
More than 3,700 people had signed a petition against the scheme after the @SaveBroadfields campaign was launched by activist Georgia Weston, of Headstone Lane, following a public meeting.
But Harrow Community Sports has re-lodged its proposals with Harrow Council for the conversion of 2.2 hectares of the Green Belt land, the creation of access roads and the construction of a reception building and waste disposal point.
Ms Weston said: "Let them be assured that we will relaunch our campaign with just as much vigor as the previous one.
"After receiving 400 letters of objection and almost 4,000 signatures from people living within the local area, the fact that Harrow Community Sports is continuing to go through with this scheme, an unwanted development, feels to me like they're not really interested in the local community and providing a sports facility."
In its design and access statement, the firm - which would run the campsite under the name London NW Camping and Caravan Ltd - said it has invested £3.2million to keep the land partially operational.
It wrote: “Whilst this keeps the company afloat, it does not address the inadequate income to maintain/enhance the site and repay the purchase cost.
“Unless addressed, the lack of income will cause a further restructuring to take place, or foreclosure.
“By complementing the retained all-weather playing area and retained grassed playing area with the provision of touring caravans and camping, the site can generate sufficient income to settle its debts and have a future.”
It says the caravans would only be allowed to move between 9am to 4pm and cars between 8am and 9pm, and expects an occupancy rate of 80 per cent.
Richard Gabriel, director of Harrow Community Sports, said: “Supporting the application are a number of reports.
"These show that: the size and type of vehicles involved with caravanning can safely enter the site from Headstone Lane and leave via Broadfields to rejoin Headstone Lane by the railway station, that there will be no adverse effect on habitat and biodiversity, that equally there will be no adverse impact on the trees on site and along the western boundary, that there will be no adverse impact on built heritage of acknowledged importance, that the visual impact assessment demonstrates the secluded location and that the proposed landscaping will further visually integrate the site into the location, that the site lies in Zone 1 for the purposes of assessing flood risk and that the proposal will not increase the run off or flood risk.
“In connection with sport and recreation, there is an unmet demand for touring caravan sites in north-west London and the firm has financially supported sport over the past 20 years to sum of £3.2million and can no longer afford to do so.
“In conclusion this is an appropriate development for this location. Sport and recreation will enable Broadfields to continue. The alternative is to sell the site.”
n What do you think? E-mail Ian Proctor at ian.proctor@trinitymirror.com
