In their presentment, the NFA contended that this is a very serious breach of both the spirit and the letter of the law:
"We would urge the Verderers to use every means at their disposal to ensure that they [the New Forest Acts] are adhered to. We ask the Verderers to reject the mobile shop, and to ask Forest Holidays to immediately cease and desist providing the pre-pitched tents and caravans on any New Forest Campsite.
Forest Holidays and the Forestry Commission should not be permitted to ignore the guidance of the Verderers or their protective duties to the Forest under the New Forest Acts."
The Verderers will announce their response to the Mobile Shop proposal after their post court meeting. The NFA will continue to press the issue of the pre-pitched tents and caravans.
[To read a full text of the NFA June presentment , see the first comment below, or click here.]
Presentment NFA Campsite Retail Van and Pre-Erected Tents / Permanent Caravans
ReplyDelete2009 June Verderers Court
Brian Tarnoff, New Forest Association (Land Management Committee)
Campsite Retail Van
Our pre-emptive strike at last month's court enjoyed one criticism, that it was a little long. However, I did leave out research into the past attempts to run mobile shops, and the reasons that they fell foul of the Verderers and the New Forest Acts. If Forest Holidays had done that research themselves, they might have saved us, and the many concerned people here, a lot of trouble and worry.
The Forestry Commission has stated that they believe the mobile shop does not require the Verderers consent, and does not impact on the Verderers primary interests, they are wrong on both counts. The New Forest Acts require application to the Verderers for any new facility, equipment or accommodation. The mobile shop would increase packaging waste and rubbish on the already delicate sites, a hazard to livestock and the environment, and would threaten the livelihoods of the Commoning community.
Forest Holidays proposed mobile shop flies in the face of the prior agreement not to build any more shops. Their willingness to ignore the spirit of that agreement is only part of a truly disturbing trend.
Pre-Erected Tents / Pre-pitched "Tourer" Caravans
Forest Holidays are offering their customers pre-erected tents and pre-pitched caravans. We don't deny that these relate to the existing camping provision, but, as new facilities, they similarly require the Verderers permission under the New Forest Acts. However, no such request has been made of the Verderers by either Forest Holidays or the Forestry Commission, this is a very serious breach of both the spirit and the letter of the law.
Perhaps Forest Holidays have avoided asking for permission because they recognize that pre-erected tents, and pre-sited caravans inevitably damage the grazing on pitches which otherwise may only be intermittently occupied, and hence be denied permission. This displays an arrogance with which they are prepared to ignore any inconvenience to their plans, whether it is prior agreements, or the New Forest Acts.
The New Forest Acts are the cornerstones of the legislative protection the New Forest enjoys, and are of vital importance to the well being of the New Forest. We would urge the Verderers to use every means at their disposal to ensure that they are adhered to. We ask the Verderers to reject the mobile shop, and to ask Forest Holidays to immediately cease and desist providing the pre-pitched tents and caravans on any New Forest Campsite.
Forest Holidays and the Forestry Commission should not be permitted to ignore the guidance of the Verderers or their protective duties to the Forest under the New Forest Acts.