Glamping tents can now stay up all year
AN OPEN planning meeting yesterday saw two separate planning applications with revised conditions approved unanimously by the Development & Planning Authority.
The six-month deadline to clear the glasshouses and structures from Domarie and Avondale vineries in Oatlands Lane to allow for 16 storage units and two open yards was scrapped, as was the two-month deadline to submit plans.
In addition, the Camp des Reves glamping site on Rue des Paysans au Val in St Peter’s was given approval to keep its safari tents up all year round, whereas they had been limited to stay up between 1 March and 31 October.
Three representations had been made prior to the meeting for the Domarie and Avondale vineries application, including one citing its planning conditions were not being adhered to, especially in terms of unauthorised access at certain times in the day, but a statement made on behalf of the applicant said this had now stopped.
While another said removing the timescales, which had been described as ‘tight’ for both site removal and driveway alterations and other proposed schemes, would place no pressure on the applicant to proceed with haste.
However, no representations were made at the meeting itself.
It was proposed that the details of timescales will be supplied before any operations start on the site.
DPA vice-president Victoria Oliver, who was on the panel, said it seemed straightforward and that the timings made sense.
All five of the DPA panel – president Dawn Tindall, Deputy Oliver and members Deputy Barry Paint, Deputy Lester Queripel and Alderney representative Alex Snowdon – approved the change.
The safari glamping tents application was also approved so they can stay up during winter, but without being used.
It followed two representations, one from PF+A Architecture founder Peter Falla, who praised owners Danny and Jane Barnes for their hard work in setting up the business and further supporting the local economy.
He stated they were fully booked until the first week of September due to staycations.
A second representation came from nearby neighbour, Gloria Dudley-Owen, who stated she did not know why the effect on a business of putting up and taking down the tents – needing two men to be done in two weeks – was a reason to alter planning conditions and a matter for the DPA.
She also drew attention to the potential of further applications being put forward to allow the tents to be used all year round.
However, Deputy Tindall said as of yet there appeared to be no intention to make any more applications and if any were these would be judged ‘most likely’ by a different DPA committee.
Despite the concerns, the tents can stay up all year, although they would still have to be removed by October 2022, the limit of the original application, unless a further one was made and approved.
