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Proposed Pop Up Campsite runs into a local storm

Much ado about nothing? The Pop UP campsite under construction. There are around 4 bell tents to go up, plus self-pitched tents

Disclosure: Your editor is involved in the marketing of the venture featured in this  blog post.

 The proposed “Glamping” site, run by Pop UP Somerset in a field near South Cheriton, has resulted in a stream of protests and complaints to the Parish Council, and, no doubt, the local District Council and our MP. The Parish Council has issued the following statement in advance of next Thursday’s Parish Council Meeting (the first public meeting since lockdown). The Blog is pleased to publish it here:

“Horsington Parish Council is aware of a proposal to create a ‘pop-up’ campsite at Oak Tree Field, Cheriton Manor Farm, South Cheriton, Templecombe, Somerset BA8 0BJ. The Parish Council is also aware of the concerns of a number of parishioners in relation to the proposed campsite, particularly in relation to the additional traffic that the site may generate.
The Parish Council has elected to issue this statement to help clarify the facts regarding the proposed campsite and related issues that have been raised.

Is the proposed campsite legal and is planning consent required?
The proposed campsite makes use of a provision within the The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 which permits the use of land for any purpose for 28 days in any calendar year. In response to the Coronavirus pandemic, on 25June 2020, the UK Government temporarily amended the Order to extend the permitted usage to 56 days.
The proposed campsite falls within this permitted development and does not require any further form of planning consent.

What authority does the Parish Council have to prevent the proposal going ahead?
The Parish Council has no planning authority under any circumstances; planning decisions are taken by the Local Planning Authority (LPA) – in the case of our parish this is South Somerset District Council. In instances where planning consent is required, the LPA will seek the views of the Parish Council; the feedback we provide will be taken into account but is just one of a range of factors considered when making a planning decision. The final decision may therefore not reflect or include any recommendations made by the Parish Council.

In the case of the proposed campsite, there is no planning decision to be made since the consent is already provided under permitted development. The Parish Council therefore have no ability to influence any decision since there is none to be made.

What happens if the proposed campsite is occupied for more than 56 days?
In the event that the proposed campsite is occupied for longer than the permitted period, or if there is any other infringement of the provisions of permitted development, the LPA enforcement team have the power to investigate and may require an application for further planning consent, a certificate of lawful development or other site licensing to be made.
The UK Government guidance to LPAs however is to prioritise economic recovery and that they should not seek to undertake planning enforcement action which would unnecessarily restrict the ability of caravan and holiday parks to extend their open season. It is unlikely, therefore, that any action would be taken swiftly.

Pop Up Somerset campsites commented:

“We are grateful to the Parish Council for putting this issue into perspective. The proposed glamping site is a good distance from the village, is perfectly legal, and the owners are committed to responsible and professional management. We have been managing similar ventures for many years at venues like Glastonbury, and we assure people that  this modest enterprise is on an entirely different and smaller scale. We are aware of the traffic concerns and have no reason to believe this will be a problem. We have advised our guests to approach the site by a route which avoids South Cheriton and Behind Hayes Lane.

We hope the Glamping venture will create local employment and help hospitality and retail businesses in the area, something which we hope will be welcomed by most people who live in this community.”

It is worth pointing out that Pop Up Somerset took the initiative to inform the Parish Council of its plans in detail on March 18th. -Ed

See the Blogs’s original post on this venture

Next Parish Council Meeting

The next meeting of the Horsington Parish Council is on Thurday 20th May 2021 at St Margaret’s Hall at 7 pm.

Public Forum and “Glamping” are items 7 and 8 on the agenda.

Mark Tucker will be chairing the meeting as Acting Chairman.

Mrs Badger has a May Day moment

 Mrs Badger writes….

 Dear Mr editor,

May I crave the hospitality of you excellent Blog to announce, once more, that I have heard the first cuckoo of 2021. It was at 9 25 this morning (Saturday), from the vicinity of Maltkiln Woods. What a treat for May Day!

I concede that I might not have the “scoop” on this, as I have been away for a few days, visiting a Gentleman Friend in Kent. I suppose a cuckoo can always slip one past you when you are not listening.

That notwithstanding, it is nice to see that Spring is officially here and with lockdown nearly over, we can all begin to get back in the saddle again.

I wish everyone a splendid spring and an even better summer.

Yours,

Amelia Badger (Mrs)

 Thank you Mrs Badger. Always nice to hear from you. -Ed

It’s those Cheesemakers again!

Win a Tshirt on Sunday

Marcus and Penny, the award-winning cheesemakers from Horsington Marsh, are giving away a lovely La Fresca Margarita T shirt to one lucky reader who tunes into a live Zoom cheese tasting  on Sunday afternoon at 4pm.

And why not? It will most likely be cloudy and the temperature is unlikely to rise above 13 degrees all day, so forget gardening. The session is part of the The British Cheese Weekender , run by the not-for-profit Academy of Cheese, which does amazing work ensuring that we know our cheese and raising the levels of professionalism in the industry.  

La Fresca Margarita is a new cheese, described as “ fresh “queso fresco”, a lemony light cheese that is just as good eaten with honey and figs as with chopped rosemary and chilli. They currently make this to order only, as it is best eaten in its first week or two.

You must register to watch the live Zoom here…        (click on the picture)

Feltham’s Farm: Branding Cheese & Live Cheese Tasting

If you would like to taste along with our cheeses, Ask Penny to sell you some from the farm gate on Friday.  Please reserve soon as stocks are going fast!  pennynagle@gmail.com

Horsington Blog Competition : 

To celebrate the British Cheese Weekender, Penny and Marcus are offering one new La Fresca Margarita T shirt (pulled out of the hat live on Zoom) to a lucky winner.  

All you have to do is  send an email to Penny saying “La Fresca Margarita”.  pennynagle@gmail.com

Here’s the T shirt. Lovely! (ironing not included)

For more see https://www.felthamsfarm.com/

Put some joy into your motoring

This is a shameless plug for the editor’s Mercedes, going on the market shortly.

It’s a 2012 Mercedes C 180 Blue Efficiency A Estate (Petrol). (Type 204K).Facelift model with the hood mounted Mercedes star and traditional grille. £8,000 ono.

A beautiful car. Owned since November 2018. 3 Former keepers. Only 68, 276 miles – hardly run in. MOT to December 2021. Selling because I rarely use it.

 Full service history. I acquired it with 3 months Mercedes warranty, (not triggered), and then handed it over to Ollie at South Cheriton Garage who has since done everything required:

6 Mercedes services, plus full service July 20  at 65976 miles

New (ish) Tyres

New front wheel R+L wheel sensors

Diagnostic check March 2021 – No faults

contact editor@idnet.com

Forget Hi-de-Hi. It’s Lah-de-dah!

“Glamping” is coming to Somerset

The Tent House – Originally designed for use as a Party/Wedding tent, it was used at Glastonbury festival where it was reported in the papers as probably the most glamourous and opulent of all the glamping tents at the Festival .The Tent House has Indian block printed interiors and is divided into 4 large and beautifully furnished bedrooms with each with king size double canopied beds or single twin beds leading off a large atrium styled living/dining room furnished with upcycled hand painted furniture .The toilet-shower room facilities rival those found in premium hotels ensuring that even the most discerning guests are rested and refreshed to fully enjoy their outdoor adventures. The kitchen room is an additional covered space created adjacent to the, ’Palace,’ equipped for all culinary needs, with exterior lounging chairs and table available or relaxing by the open fire.

Disclosure: Your editor is involved with the marketing of the venture featured in this story

“Glamping” – luxurious rural camping surrounded by beautiful countryside-  is about to start near South Cheriton. With a limited  number  of amazing tents, some of which  have  large bedrooms, block printed interiors ,canopied beds, and hand painted upcycyled furniture, it is set to become one of the more unusual and exclusive  staycation holidays in 2021, a year in which Covid has put an end to holidays abroad for most people.

The site will be in an unspoilt seven acre field in farmland about a mile from Horsington and South Cheriton.

Accommodation will be limited to a maximum of 50 people in a variety of different stylishly equipped tents ,some with their own private bathroom facilities .It is intended that the site will be open for 56 days between the last bank holiday in May until 2nd week in September .In  June, July and the beginning of September the site will be open on a Friday –Sunday basis  with August being the only month in which it will also be available on certain weekdays.

Pop Up Somerset is a cross country walk from Marsh Lane

No music will be allowed  and  rubbish and general and sewage waste  will be monitored regularly and collected and disposed of by certified contractors in a responsible way .They shall also adhering to strict environmental control regarding potable water and wash up facilities and tests will be carried out ensure that the water is safe .

The venture is run by Pop Up Campsites (Somerset), which also has sites in Sussex and Hampshire (Somerset is the only “Glamping” one). It will be managed by 2  local people, Jay Varcoe and Jonny Townsend, who have both 15 years experience  in providing tented  hospitality  and also running private luxury temporary campsites at places like Glastonbury, Badminton etc.

Pop up campsites is aware of the impact on the environment that any site may have ,not just to those living close by  but also to the wildlife  and  farmland  which is why they wish to limit the site to a small number of people for  a limited time period .

Pop Up Somerset understands that traffic may be a concern as some of the roads are both narrow and often busy  and they have advised a route to the campsite which they believe will cause minimum impact .As the numbers of potential guests is limited they do not envisage a significant increase in traffic using these public roads.

Pop Up Campsites operates small scale quiet, relaxed and laid back campsites. All electronic music and percussion instruments of any kind are banned as loud noise doesn’t fit in with communal camping. No dogs are allowed on the site.

There is a Low noise policy from 10pm around the campsite.

It is hoped that ,although small, the campsite will provide an economic benefit to the local community by encouraging guests to eat out and buy food and drink provided by smaller individual local suppliers and visit places of interest in the area.

Further details on the Pop Up Website

Inside the Tent House
A luxurious Safari tent, sleeping up to four people

Thinking of a post-lockdown family reunion?
Not enough space to accommodate everyone?
Why not Check them in here? – Ed

Grow a big’un for Horsington School

Here’s the latest fund raising wheeze from the school – The Great Horsington Carrot Growing Competition.

Get planting! Seeds are available any time from Gill and Steve Miles at Freshford (opposite the Half Moon) at £1 per packet. The envelopes are in the porch, and you can put your money in the container.

The carrots will be judged on Sunday 27th June, with prizes for the longest and “other categories”. The mind boggles.

News from the White Horse

http://www.moaningtoad.co.uk

Most of us have forgotten what the interior of a pub looks like, let alone the taste of a freshly pumped pint of foaming ale. But good news is on the horizon.

The White Horse at South Cheriton re-opens at 5 pm on Monday April 12th (Sadly not before Easter.) You will have to sit outside in their lovely outdoor dining area, specially created for the Covid lockdown.

Several people have already booked meals, so get cracking and make a reservation:
thewhitehorsesc@gmail.com
01963 370394

You can use this email or number to book a takeaway – Wednesdays to Fridays from 5.50 to 7.30 and Sunday lunches, including Easter Sunday

The menus are on their website-http://www.moaningtoad.co.uk

We encourage all our readers to use their local pubs, who have struggled to provide a service during the lockdown. In our area it really is a case of “Use it or lose it”

Coronavirus cases down, but deaths and hospitalised remain steady

Here are the latest Government Statistics for the South Somerset area, updated to 4 pm 30 January (Local Stats are up to 25 January, the latest available)

Confirmed cases

There were 44 new people with a confirmed positive test result reported on 30January 2021. (16 January:48)

Between 24 January 2021 and 30 January 2021, 317 people had a confirmed positive test result. This shows a decrease of 27.6% compared to the previous 7 days.

 Deaths

There was 2 new death within 28 days of a positive test for Coronavirus reported on 30 January 2021.(16 January:1)

Total number of people who have died within 28 days of testing positive for Coronavirus as of 15 January 2021 was 113.(5 January:101)

Closer to home:

Positive Covid tests in Wincanton, Cheriton, Charlton Horethorne (includes Horsington Marsh): 7 Days to 25 January: 8 (11 January:20)

Templecombe, Henstridge, Milborne Port (Includes Horsington Village):7 days to 25 January: 9 (11 January:16).

Yeovil Hospital: on  30 January 7 January there were 62 patients in  hospital (16 January :60) of which 4 were on ventilation (16 January :7).

Vaccinations

Milborne Port surgery reports:

Vaccinations are being delivered according to priority groups identified by the Joint Committee of Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). Milborne Port Surgery is working with other local practices (Queen Camel Medical Centre, Bruton Surgery, Millbrook Surgery in Castle Cary and Wincanton Health Centre) to deliver vaccinations at Wincanton Community Hospital and the Bath and West Showground

When it is the right time for you to receive your vaccination, you will receive an invitation to come forward. 

Please do not call the surgery to try to book a vaccination and please do not turn up at a vaccination site without an appointment

To check our local Coronavirus status, click here

£500 for you if you sign up for fast Broadband (£2500 if you’re a business)

Is your life or business being strangled by chronically slow broadband?

In the editorial bunker, the current speed is a pathetic 1Mb per second. Life has almost ground to a halt.

If enough people register (no obligation) with Wessex Internet, then we will get a fibre optic Broadband connection with sizzling speeds.

If you are currently on BT’s “Superfast” service, it’s only fibre optic cable from that green box by the entrance to Horsington House. The Wessex offering is fibrre all the way!

If you sign up, you will get a £500 voucher to contribute towards the installation cost. £2500 if you’re running a business (Home working may count.)

It costs nothing to register and you are under no obligation.

Neighbouring villages are getting it together. Come on Horsington!

To register, click on the link below

Full Fibre Broadband