Chapter 3: No planning and an eviction Notice - This isn't my dream campsite.

Our unbelievable Planning journey to make this dream happen.

The good - The sale had gone through and the children were settled at School.

The bad - We we’re living in a touring caravan in a field.

The ugly - The electric illegally set up and the water had been tapped

If you're not read our first 2 chapters, hop back to take a look at where this dream started.

Chapter 1 - Campfires and quality life

Chapter 2 - Should be pack up and go home?

Surely something things have got to get better, right…

It was time to think positive and get this business going or everyone will really think we’ve gone insane.

The unappealing entrance, reception and shower block of the once named "Docklands Campsite" What a terrible name

First things first, We Need Money!

So we’ve sold the house and bought a pretty grotty patch of grass, with no planning permission to run a business. The banks are still going to help, because that’s what they do, erm no! everyone we turned to said a definite “NO!”

We talked to our accountant who gave us a number for a financial advisor, one who she trusted and might just have an angle to help. It’s the way you deal your cards, not the hand you have. He believed that the answer lay in our optimism, the fact we had staked all our life savings and uprooted to a new county was going to pay off. We just needed to get a business plan to show realistic figures, and he would put it forward.

Natwest

A bank who had rejected our call came forward.  And not in a style I was expecting. David arrived, donned his wellies and walked around the field.  “Oh, I can see potential here, I understand this line of business and I can see you are passionate to make this work.  Your figures are actually quiet conservative and I see you hitting your targets quickly.  So yes, I’d like to offer you a start up loan.” He said.

It was old school, a physical being, a real human, someone to express your ideas to.  There was no “let me run the data” or “the computer says no” He understood our dream and he was going to help.

A sigh of relief

We’re going to do this, the first sign that this might actually become a reality.

Of course, this offer came with conditions. There was no tip of money straight into our account; we'd have to prove what the money was being spent on, with quote.  Then, the batches of money to cover these costs would be sent over, once approved. A slow process, that builders do not like.

Let’s get that planning permission sorted.

While the house sale was going through, we’d already contacted the previous planning consultants and they’d been happy to help us reapply, they didn’t think it would be too much of a problem as the planning had previously been passed, but just not done the condition release.

Well, it would seem that little matter with the electric and water, was not the only thing to sting us.  The council were now definitely not in favour of this site after run-ins with the owner and were now tarnishing our brush with his misdemeanours.  This was not going to be easy. 

The plan - Meadow Falls on paper

Planning refused!

This is never going to work – how could we keep going? I could hear my family and friends in the back of my mind, saying “don’t worry if you need to come back, you’ve given it a go”

This first year, we’d have to find our feet and run a 28 day summer campsite.  See what the interest for a camping is like, will anyone turn up.

Appeal proceedings

We went to appeal and it resulted in a committee consultation, were I had to stand at council to prove my worth.  My speech came from the heart, and outlined the investment we’d put in, how we had absolutely no connection to the previous owner, built relationships with locals and we’re ready to build our new family life and we would be here to stay, no fly by the minute fast buck pop up business.

A local councillor was there, who did admit to seeing our work so far and stood by us, another had nothing good to say and made me feel very uneasy, it seems I’d won the rest over, but only a little.

Permission granted - The dream campsite can begin!

In September 2015 Planning for 40 pitches was approved, no permanent residence was allowed, just to build the campsite business.  Ok, we can work with that, but not long term and it would be to their detriment.  Because how you can run a successful campsite with 40 pitches, ( around 160 people) and not be there to manage any situation that arises, for safety, noise and security is beyond me. 

That meant the touring caravan was here to stay for a bit longer, while we fought that extra bit of legislation.

Just a field waiting to be transformed into our dream campsite

Another blow

A lady who lives around the corner popped by with a letter she had received, it was addressed to Mr P, the previous owner of our land who had also owned her house and she’d received his post.  A letter from the council thanking him for his information about someone illegally living on our land and that evictions would be starting very soon. Wait WHAT!!!!

How could anyone do this, why can’t we live on our land, it’s ours and we have a business to run.  We don’t have a permanent structure it’s a touring caravan, surely this wasn’t right.  A call to the council to find, this was absolutely happening if we didn’t want a BLACK mark against our name to shift off pretty quick.

Locals to the rescue

Ingleton is a tourist spot with MANY holiday cottages and guests houses.  After a hunt around to see what was available and a chat with some locals, we found (not that we could afford) a tiny 2 bed cottage we could squeeze (when you’re used to a tourer, this was actually huge) into for a few of months over the winter.  They had bookings over Xmas, new year so we visited family for this time. We planned to open the Campsite for the season 1st March, so regardless we were going back to the caravan then, eviction or no eviction.

Move back - 1st March 2016 - Snow and wind. I was holding down the awning at 2am in my Pj's. Not my most glamorous hour.

Managers accommodation approved

On 12th January 2016 Planning for Managers accommodation was approved – Off to look for a static caravan or lodge.  How discover how long we’d have to wait to get one.

Over a year of emotional turmoil; applying, refusal, appealing, committee, reapplying to final get the process running.  It doesn’t end there because, you then have to file conditions and licenses. 

Time to start living the dream, let's get this campsite built.

What’s next… Blood, sweat and many more tears…. The big build, the hayfever, the dog and a violin... Can it get any more crazy? I've not even mentioned the guests yet.