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Paultons Park - Cobra & Edge have no planning permission

Ian

Ian

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My Dad caught the end of this on the local news and informed me, but Paultons Park have built their two biggest rides - Edge and Cobra - on land apparently owned by the country park.

The report has said that they did not seek the correct planning permission (PP). They are now seeking retrospective PP.

The park has had a bumper season and numbers are up. The report also said that the park is taking a extremely slow migration towards more of a family/thrill (similar to CWoA I'd imagine) place than just a family park.

Local residents are apparently annoyed at the changing and increasing popularity of the park. So that'll be a one man and a dog then? I don't see the problem. There are few residential dwellings within a few miles and it has excellent transport links - it's not like traffic is destroying local villages.

Anyway, as the resident Paultons Park fanboy, I wanted to be first to tell you.

EDIT: Found a link: http://www.thisishampshire.net/news/453 ... ermission/
 
Well that can't be good. I absolutely love Paultons and I really hope a big problem doesn't evolve because of this.
 
Whoever was in charge of building these rides was a bit of an idiot. Whoever at the council is incharge of planning permission is a bit of an idiot. Cobra was built almost four years ago now, how long does it take to work out if something is built legally?
 
I wonder are the rides classified the same as when houses are built without planning permission when the owners are forced to take them down. Surely they can appeal the decision if it does go against the park.

Also will a local council want to affect the running of a tourist attraction which benefits the local area and brings in money like rates for that council.
 
I swear I was told about this a couple of years ago...but maybe its like Alton and because it dosen't jut above the tree level it dosen't need planning permission?
 
News over nothing...

Both these rides are semi permanent and can be taken down within a couple of days. They probably do have the correct permission, it's just somebody being an arse to get a double check.

Think of it as a garden shed.
 
According to the local news this morning, there was a local (Parish?) council meeting last night where this was discussed. Apaprently they're calling for the rides to be torn down! :?

I don't suppose it'll come to that. I suspect that when it goes to some kind of appeal process, it'll be deemed that the economic benefits outweigh the environmental costs. Also, I very much doubt that Paultons would've just put these up without seeking permission. I personally know of another attractions company who are much more unscrupulous, and HAVE built things knowingly without the correct permission, but I never get the impression that Paultons would be like that. Chances are that someone in a council somewhere gave them the go-ahead, knowing full well about these restictions. They're not going to want to lose their job, or the council's reputation, over the cockup, so will support the appeal and make sure it goes through.

Remember, attractions apply for retrospective permission for rides/buildings etc all the time. How often do we see stuff actually taken down?
 
^Happens in Wales too! Our planning system generally sucks.

But in this case, despite what the media report says, it doesn't appear to be a retrospective planning permission request (neither Paultons nor the Council would have been THAT stupid), but a Lawful Development Certificate request:-

"An application for a lawful development certificate (LDC) is not like an application for planning permission, where the decision will be made on the merits of a proposal, having regard to Council and national planning policies and any comments made about it by the public.

An LDC application is assessed purely on the basis of the evidence submitted in support of it, and on any other evidence that the Council may have (such as its own records) or may obtain during processing of the application.

If, on the balance of probabilities, the Council is satisfied that the activity or the development is lawful, the LDC application must be granted."

There's been a cock-up somewhere, but hopefully not that big.

And the whingeing locals can go and play with the M27 ^_^.
 
Just had a press release from the park!

Press Statement 10th August 2009

Paultons Park is a Family Theme Park. It is one of the Premier visitor attractions in Southern England receiving around 500,000 visitors annually. Approximately 500 people are employed at the Park and we trade with many local businesses adding several million pounds annually into the local economy.

Paultons Park has lodged three planning applications with the New Forest National Park Authority.

1.A New building to house an indoor play area.
2.Lawful Development Certificate for the existing use of an Amusement Park.
3.Proposed change of use of an area of land from a Country Park to an Amusement Park and retention of Cobra and Edge rides.

New Building

It is proposed that a new building will be erected to house an indoor play area at the Park. This will complement the outside activities at the Park during periods of unsettled weather and also during the colder months of the year.

Lawful Development Certificate for the existing use of an Amusement Park.

The council has invited Paultons Park to apply for a Lawful Development Certificate to regularise the planning situation of the Park. This application covers the area of the Park open to visitors since 1983.

Change of Use of land from a Country Park to an Amusement Park and retention of Cobra and Edge Rides

This application deals with the area where the Edge and Cobra rides sit. It is proposed to regularise this site as an extension to the Amusement Park area. Although contained within the permitted 1981 Country Park area it has been used for less than 10 years as an Amusement Park and therefore requires a separate application.

These applications are currently being considered by the council and we are waiting for comments from them once the statutory consultation period ends.

Paultons Park has been open to visitors for 26 years and has evolved and changed in that time into a nationally recognised Family Theme Park.

Our roots as a family attraction have always been the same, to provide a great value family day out. These aims are not about to change; we will continue to remain focused on providing a first class family attraction.
Click to expand...

It seems that some minor small print was missed when building the rides and the council have invited the park to get back on the rightful route.

Fingers crossed, the panic is over.

Also two other points. An indoor play area would be a good addition to the park (although it'll be for kids!). I wonder if that will be house in the now empty Romany Museum building? Although when I spoke to the Marketing Director the other day, he said that they didn't have any plans for that building just yet.

Interesting point at the end as well. I'm glad that PP is remaining the same, rubbishing othe rmedia reports that the park is slowly turning into a higher-octane thrill park. It's fine as it is.
 
God, they got that statement out quick.

Hopefully the changing over of the classification of the land goes ahead without any problems.
 
Its good to get official word from the park on the situation. From what they've said, sounds like its a relatively minor application, and should be gut and dried reasonably quickly. *crosses fingers*

Oh, and re the playbarn... why can't they get an adult friendly one like at Milky Way? That's awesome!!! ;)
 
I'm sure they said they were going to build an indoor play area in the old museum years ago. Maybe it got put aside because of them building Edge?
 
This happened at Crealy in Devon as well, they didn't get permission for the Pastil Loco coaster or Tidal Wave log flume, and I'm pretty sure they didn't get it for the set of gallopers! Not exactly sure what happened, at one point last year it looked as though they all had to be removed but they haven't been so I guess some agreement has been met. Grr can't stand the complainers, the park isnt close enough to any residences to cause concern!
 
Oh noes! Surely (as the article hints at) Paultons would have not applied for any on the grounds that they believed themselves to be covered anyway?
 
No way, I spotted a link on Screamscape last week and it said that the park was expected to be allowed to keep the two rides. I wonder what happened in between.

Hopefully they can appeal or apply through another way without having to dismantle the rides.

No wonder parks in the UK have trouble trying to construct major coasters with all these strict planning laws.
 
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