THE IMPLICATIONS of a negative outcome for Perth and Kinross Council in a planning inquiry running in Crieff this week could leave the area’s caravan parks wide open to development as permanent homes, it was warned yesterday.

Senior planning officer Anne Condliffe warned against a dangerous precedent being set as she gave evidence at the second day of the inquiry at Crieff Hotel into whether enforcement notices served by the authority on permanent residents of the town’s Mill House caravan park should stand.

The council contends that, as caravans, the dwellings should only be for “holiday use” and has ordered the pensioner community to find new primary homes.

The enforcement action also seeks to stop the developer Welch Homes from marketing the caravans as year-round housing.

Ms Condliffe all but admitted the inquiry is a test case for similar situations across the county.

She said, “The decision in this case has significant ramifications for a number of sites within the boundaries of Perth and Kinross.

“There are numerous existing caravan and/or chalet sites within Perth and Kinross which do not have any restrictive planning condition on occupancy due to the age of the original consent.

“The council is aware of the appellant’s interest in other sites including Altamount, Blairgowrie.

“The decision of the reporter and the outcome of this appeal therefore will have significant implications far beyond this one site in Crieff.”

The argument centres on whether an absence in the site’s original planning consent of a specific phrase banning year-round occupancy is relevant.

The council previously backed down when faced with a similar issue in the town, at Turretbank, because there had been no provision in that consent that the site be used for “holiday homes,” which is present at Mill House.

Anne Condliffe pointed out that by providing year-round accommodation in a caravan park setting Welch Homes had contravened a string of regulations.

She said, “The enforcement notices were served as a result of concern over the potential loss of a tourist facility but also, more import- antly, the establishment of a permanent residential development without the benefit of planning consent using the Caravan Act and caravan site licence to replace the existing caravan units with permanent residences results in a very dense development with no planning control over density, overlooking, finish- es, layout, parking, flood risk, noise implications—all of which are considered to be in breach of development plan policies.”

The devastating impact of the lengthy legal battle on the health of the pensioners caught in the middle of the row was also outlined

Speaking on behalf of several residents, Mr Lionel Harrison said the long-running stand-off has “affected us all health-wise because of the amount of time is has taken to get to the position we are now in.

“My neighbour, for instance, has suffered cancer and is still undergoing treatment so this has added to the stress of the treatment.

“My wife suffers atrial fibrillation, a heart murmur, arthritis of the back and damaged discs in her spine.

“The stress of this has been exacerbated because of the worry and uncertainty over the outcome of this public inquiry.

Mr Andrew Snowdon—who paid £118,000 for his home—said, “The stress during the last few months has been intolerable.

“We sincerely hope the Scottish Executive will take cognisance of the fact we have invested our life savings to purchase an attractive retirement home in a picturesque and secure site where we hope to spend our twilight years in peace and tranquillity.”

The inquiry continues tomorrow when local MSP Roseanna Cunningham will give evidence and closing submissions will be made.

A decision by the reporter is not expected until mid-April at the earliest