Objections to South Shropshire scout camp plan

Residents say the tiny hamlet of Seifton, near Craven Arms, could not cope with a deluge of up to 150 young people that could descend on the area if "overflow" campers at another nearby site are included.

Nineteen of the 21 residents in the hamlet have objected to the plan, proposed by scout leader Jeff Williams, who is moving to Shropshire next year.

Culmington Parish Council, which covers Seifton, is also objecting after concerns were raised at a public meeting this week.

Currently District Explorer Scout Commissioner for Milton Keynes, Mr Williams says affordable, safe campsites for children and youth groups are in short supply in Shropshire.

He will be transferring to Shropshire County Scouts as a skills advisor next year and has lodged the application for a secure campsite at Seifton Court, where he will be living with his wife Joy.

Working with Shropshire Council's education department, the campsite would be able to host scouts, guides and other youth groups and school parties, he said, and nearby the public campsite at Spatchford had agreed it could host another 100 if required to meet Shropshire Council requests.

But the plan has not gone down well with neighbours who have called it "completely inappropriate".

Neighbour Martin Holland, 61, speaking on behalf of residents in the surrounding houses, said: "The principle objection is the fact this is a tiny hamlet in open countryside.

"There could be 50 scouts or guides on the site with an overflow of 100 more at a nearby campsite.

"Potentially we could have 150 young people in the middle of the hamlet, doing whatever young people do.

"We already have Manor Adventure about half a mile away who use the fields and pool, and we can cope with that - but they have 100 acres, this is just one campsite.

"We don't object to young people getting out in the countryside, that's a great thing, but this plan is just inappropriate for the site."

Michael Harris, of Stonycroft Planning, acting as agent for Mr Williams, said he understood opposition to the campsite had been "quite strident".

But, he said, there were not many places youth groups could go to camp.

"These camps have to be secure, with everyone CRB checked, so there isn't the option of going to a public campsite where just anyone can roll up," he said.

"This will be a very well regulated operation."

He said they he and Mr Williams would be looking into the objections and seeing if they could "react accordingly to address the issues raised."

The application is set to be decided by Shropshire Council planners by October 6.