Touring Holiday Caravan and Camping Sites

5.26 The provision of sites for static holiday caravans is not generally considered appropriate in St Edmundsbury because of the high landscape quality of the countryside and character of the built environment. Touring caravans, however, tend to have less of an impact and a number of certified sites, for no more than five vans, are located throughout the borough.

5.27 Larger sites for touring caravans and tents can have an impact on the surrounding countryside and proposals for new sites will require special care in their design, location and screening. In order to minimise the amount of new development, any associated facilities should be accommodated in existing buildings which are worthy of retention and in accordance with Policy RU4. Where such buildings are not available, essential new buildings must be designed to a high standard and be sensitively located.

5.28 Particular care needs to be taken when considering touring and camping sites in the Special Landscape Area, where the high environmental and landscape quality means the overriding priority is the protection of landscape character.

POLICY RU11: TOURING HOLIDAY CARAVAN AND CAMPING SITES

Proposals for touring caravan and camping sites will be permitted provided:

• i) there are no overriding environmental or amenity objections;
  ii) the proposed development is well screened and does not have an adverse impact on the locality in terms of noise and traffic generation;
  iii) existing buildings which are worthy of retention are utilised for the provision of associated facilities. Where new buildings are essential, they should be designed to a high standard and sensitively sited; and
  iv) good access is available to sites without requiring road improvements which would be harmful to the rural environment.