Residents launch 'Save West Chevington' campaign

The Save West Chevington group is concerned that plans to create a ‘holiday village’ will destroy the essence of the hamlet.

Plans for the ‘holiday village’ at West Chevington include a farm shop, leisure annex and nine holiday lets which campaigners say are ‘out of character and inappropriate’ for the hamlet.

Developers say the new retail facility has significant potential for passing trade, as well as from local residents.

Now, the group hopes to help people living in other small settlements under threat from development by campaigning for changes in law and the way in which planning applications are handled.

Judith Rodenby, from the Save West Chevington group, said: “Changes to planning law are urgently required to protect the rural nature of small settlements.

“It’s not just here, this is happening all over the county and country where small communities under pressure from development struggle to be heard.”

She added: “Small communities are vulnerable and many are being bombarded with developments that are urbanising hamlets and destroying the essence of rural life.

"Re-balancing planning law will help to protect the rural places we all love and the people who live there.”

Campaigners say people living in farmsteads, hamlets and villages are finding it increasingly difficult to prevent inappropriate building or over-development.

They point out the diminishing housing stock for permanent residence as the number of second and holiday homes in rural and coastal hotspots increases.

The ‘5-10 objections’ rule is a further problem for anyone wanting to highlight concerns to council planning committees.

Northumberland County Council, like many, requires six objections to be lodged before wider planning checks are done which, campaigners say, is disproportionately unfair to settlements with a low population.

Between 5-10 objections are usually required to get an application 'called in' to a council committee meeting. Otherwise a case officer may make a decision under 'delegated powers'.

Developers can also convert new houses or building conversions into holiday homes without the need to submit a change of use application.

The group has launched the #savethehamlet #savewestchevington hashtags to campaign for a greater say for small communities, to close planning loopholes, to ensure scrutiny and enforcement by council officers, and to allow parishes to limit the number of non-permanent homes.