How many is too many on a CL?
Comments
-
Does the public know the difference? Do you think the Local Auth really want to get involved in the difference? Will Cls or Cs really turn customers who invariably pay cash away? This is reality not some rose tinted view as we see often here re "overcrowding" etc.
1 -
Thinking about the origin of the legislation which gave authority for planning exemption, I think the idea is that 5 caravans are unlikely to bother any neighbouring residents, and there would be only very low impact on the appearance of the rural surroundings.
Regardless of whether the campers are bothered or not about anyadditional illegal campers, there would be an impact on the rural surroundings which some people would dislike. You can't have an exception to permit 5 and then allow the place look like Butlins.
2 -
I stayed recently on a C&CC CS (their equivalent to a CL) and was politely asked by the owner not to put up any flag or TV mast as they would be seen by his neighbour some 500 yards away and she would get upset.
He explained that he had planted trees to screen the view, but she also complained to the planning authority about that. At one time, apparently, he had some families staying who knew each other and had gathered to celebrate a family birthday with a party. She was down complaining about that, and according to this burly, thick set, hill farmer, chased him round the kitchen table!
0 -
We are a CL owner. We have 6 electric hook ups but only 5 are in use at a time. We have 4 hard standings and 2 grass. By having 6 pitches it gives the members more choice ie 4 hard standings and 1 grass, or 3 hardstandings and 2 grass, etc. Some people prefer grass and some people prefer hardstanding. If the electric hook up goes wrong, then we have a spare one.
Please do not assume that CLs with more than 5 hook ups are just interested in income!
4 -
We are in a similar situation. We have a CL with 11 electric hook-ups but our guests will bear witness that we stick to the rules about having no more than 5 vans here at any one time.
In our case, the extra hook-ups stem from a previous owner who doubled the size of the CL and was planning to convert to a larger commercial caravan site.
When we bought the farm 15 years ago, we decided to stay as a 5-van CL and use the extra land and hook-ups to offer guests more choice & space and to give us the opportunity to 'rest' an an area if it became over-used.
Sometimes I feel that we offer our guests too much choice - the record for 'longest time to choose a pitch' is currently 3½ hours.
Ian Kelly
01691 622951
Holiday@BirchHill.co.uk
www.BirchHill.co.ukBirch Hill Farm – a multi-award winning hideaway in the beautiful lake-lands of Shropshire - exclusively for members of the Caravan and Motorhome Club
2 -
Have just returned from a week on a cl with seven HS pitches, all pitches were in use most of the week and one night saw a MH parked up on the grass overnight. We went to look at a neighbouring cl. It had twelve HS pitches and eight were in use.
For those that say more pitches give more choice then these two cl's blow that theory out of the window, In fact the second cl showed six pitches on Google Earth obviously six have been added since the imagery was taken. Also as all pitches on both sites were HS so pitch rotation can't be used as an excuse.
So going back to my post on page 2. What do site inspectors have to say about these sites, obviously not a lot.
I have just left a site report on the cl I was on and did mention that seven vans were using it most of the week.
1 -
If I were giving the answers I would say Relax, enjoy your holiday, and if there are six or seven on site instead of five it really doesn't matter very much. The constabulary will not arrive. There is no threat to CLs generally. They will gradually continue to wither away naturally, gracefully and gradually, as owners see the best way forward for them.
2 -
Its happening all the time.
No it isn't. It may be happening some of the time, but the Cl we're on at the moment has more than 5 hook-ups & plenty of room for extra vans, and although having 5 vans on, others have been turned away. Maybe the fact that it's only £10 pn is that it's full all this month, and the owner doesn't want to loose regulars by putting more than 5 units on.
0 -
I too can agree with that but I don't think the replies in this post are tarring all cl's with this problem they, including myself, are just trying to protect the future of the cl system.
However it is these larger cl's that are exploiting their extra space by taking on more than the stipulated 5 maximum that need watching. It is they that could be putting the future of the cl system at risk.
1 -
I only use CL's - and Cs's these days and quite often see extra vans, usually at change over times like weekends. But what the ****? If it doesn't affect me why should I worry?
The season is very short for many of them, most are still at about £14 per night all in, including EHU, so I cannot condemn them for trying to make a bit, whilst the sun shines.
IMHO the 5 van limit was OK, but today does not provide much return for their efforts . Many just pack up, but others go for small commercial status with a Licence from LA.
TF
1 -
I don't know if it would be possible to create a new category of site whilst keeping the CL 5 van sites, I love these! This new category could be called micro sites (term pinched from micro pub or micro brewery) and have a limit of, lets suggest, 10 van maximum. Just a thought!
i also reckon that those owners of CLs who know that the capacity is there to fill such pitch numbers regularly would consider this if available whilst those that maybe can't would remain as CL status.
1 -
Legally the maximum is 5 vans per night. Anymore is too many.
I have said many times on these discussion forums that I would give up caravanning if it wasn't for these lovely Certified Locations. Where I always seem to get into trouble is that I am prepared to pay a lot to stay on these sites just to keep them viable for the owners. I do think the owners should make an effort to keep their sites well maintained and if so I am willing to pay up to £20 per night or more for a great location (sea views etc.)
I know and understand some folk don't want to or can't pay that. But if CL lovers want to keep these sites going we do need to support them and keep to the five pitches!
1 -
Reality is-nobody monitors usage, Its a cash business so its unlikely one will be turned away if there is room. How many others on site are actually CC members? No way of knowing. I cant find real fault with site owners squeezing a few extra pound out in a short season. I dont report over usage if I am contend with the space I get and in all my years when there has been more than 5 vans I have not been inconvenienced.
0 -
Then the loss of sites will continue. There simply has to be a way of making it worth doing for the site owner.
Doing it for a pittance was acceptable a few years ago, but things are different now.
Its not going to be a real problem for me now as I'm leaving the CC at the end of June, but I have enjoyed membership in the past and would want it to remain for others.
TF
2 -
I know of 'one' CL on a farm where the wife runs a site on one side of the 'road' and the husband the other on the other side of the road. This road is really a green lane! Neither ever have more than five vans on them but they share the facilities offered. Due to clever hedging you can't see one from the other.
0 -
Our experience is that this is becoming more frequent we have been using CL's for nearly 40 years. We thought the definition of a CL was a maximum of 5 units at one address. We have been to CL's where there have been two or three areas each with 5 pitches, we have been on CL's where there is a caravan in the next field with temporary cable running to it from the CL, we have been to CL's where the owner has been packing extra motorhomes in and running temporary cables across the access road and we have been on sites where the field we are in has more than 5 vans. In every case we have booked in advance so we have paid and we don't want to drive away and lose our money. How do we stand legally if the site is inspected and through no fault of ours we are involved in breaking the regulations?
Where this has happened we do not go back. Will it make any difference if we do report it to the CAMC? We have been told of CL's that have been reported and they just open another area.
0 -
Hi Garto74
It is disappointing to hear of so many examples that a lot of you have experienced with CL sites being over capacity.
All of our CL sites should only have a maximum of 5 units on it at any one time. CL's which fail to meet this condition are breaching their certificate.
We do ask any members who come across this to report it to the CL department as soon as they can and to provide photographs if possible to support our investigation. We will then get one of our Field Team to visit that site as soon as possible to address the situation.
With over 2300 sites it is difficult for us to monitor on our own so we do value any feedback from our members.
In regards to where you stand legally as a member on a site that is over booked. This would have no impact on yourselves, this is the responsibility of the CL owner to manage their bookings to ensure that they are not exceeding their capacity.
If anyone wishes to report a CL site which is breaking the rules you can do so by emailing CLresponse@camc.com please be assured that we will not share your details with the CL site.
Thanks
Maddie
1
Brian! 
.