Illegal Lake District campsite sees owner fined £4,050
The Lake District National Park Authority had first issued an enforcement notice back in March 2022.
A man who turned part of his farmland into a caravan site without permission has been fined a total of £4,050.
The best campervan sites in the Lake District will provide a picturesque setting for taking in what is a beautiful and popular part of the UK to visit.
However, in this case, the Lake District National Park Authority first issued an enforcement notice against Andrew Thornton in March 2022 after it became aware of a change of use at a site he owned at Green Hows, Dale Park in Setterthwaite.
The site had clearly been changed to become a caravan site with the erection of a timber building.
The authority gave him three years to remedy the situation, and when he did not, it started prosecution proceedings.
The case was heard at Barrow Magistrates’ Court at the end of March this year.
Mr Thornton, from Macclesfield in Cheshire, did not attend the proceedings and was found guilty in his absence.
He was fined £2,000, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £800, and prosecution costs of £1,250 – bringing the total to £4,050.
Julie Birkett, the Park Authority’s planning enforcement manager, said the case highlighted the “serious consequences” of failing to comply with enforcement notices.
She said, “Enforcement notices are legal requirements, and ignoring them can not only lead to significant fines but also to a criminal record. We will continue to take firm action where necessary to protect the landscape and ensure that development takes place lawfully.”
In other news, it was recently announced that Port Solent is introducing an overnight parking charge. It’s a popular stop-off for motorhome and campervan owners who are planning to catch an overnight ferry, but motorhomers will now face a £10 charge.
For ‘van owners who are looking ahead to the 2027 touring season, the Caravan and Motorhome Club has announced ClubFest 2027 is to be held at Sandringham Estate next year. The Club, which has also confirmed The Wanted 2.0 and Bat! (Bat out of Hell 50th Anniversary Tour) will be headlining the festival, has released early bird tickets, with savings of up to £80 available.
Image: Lake District National Park Authority
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