Park Foot Holiday Park, located on the shores of Ullswater in the Lake District, has submitted a planning application seeking formal recognition for the use of two of its fields for seasonal camping.
The application, filed with the Lake District National Park Authority, requests a Certificate of Lawfulness of Existing Use or Development (CLEUD) for the Euserigg and Fellside fields, which are situated south of Pooley Bridge.
According to the application, the fields have been used seasonally for camping between April and September and for agricultural grazing from October to March.
According to News & Star, this mixed-use pattern, the park contends, has been in place for more than a decade.
Under planning law, if a land use has continued for over ten years without enforcement action, it may be considered lawful and immune from future enforcement.
The park submitted the application following a meeting with Simon Fawcett of the Lake District National Park Authority.
During the meeting, two planning breaches were reportedly identified, specifically relating to an alleged unauthorised change of use of the land in question. In response, the park has argued that its longstanding operational pattern justifies legal recognition.
“From our perspective, both areas of land – Euserigg and Fellside – have been within the ownership of the family for many decades and have over the years been used in association with the park for overnight accommodation whether that be tents, touring caravans or campervans,” the park stated in a letter accompanying the application.
To support the claim, the park has submitted photographs and booking records that it argues demonstrate use of the fields in excess of the 28-day annual limit permitted under general development rights.
The evidence is intended to show, “on the balance of probability,” that the land has been used consistently for camping purposes over a substantial period.
The application is currently under review by the Lake District National Park Authority. No final decision has been made at this time.
For owners and operators in the outdoor hospitality sector, the outcome of this case could serve as a reference point when navigating the complexities of planning law, particularly concerning seasonal land use and the legal thresholds for long-established practices.
It also highlights the importance of maintaining detailed operational records that can be used to support planning applications or defend against enforcement action.