Agenda item

For Members to consider and determine an application for a Residential Mobile Home Site Licence.

Having considered the application made on 4 June 2024 for a caravan site licence, pursuant to the Mobile Homes (Wales) Act 2013 for land at Willow Park, Colliery Lane, Gladstone Way, Mancot, Deeside, Flintshire CH5 2TX (ie  the site), the Committee resolved as follows:

1.         To refuse to grant a caravan licence pursuant to Section 7 of the Mobile Homes (Wales) Act 2013:

The application is considered to be invalid for the following reasons:

(a)  The applicant has failed to pay the required fee;

(b)  The applicant has failed to provide an adequate fire safety risk assessment, as evidenced by the Fire Officer;

(c)   The applicant has failed to provide an adequate EICR as requested; and

(d)  The applicant has failed to provide evidence of sufficient financial resources to demonstrate that the site can be adequately and properly managed.

2.         In the event the application could be considered to be valid, it is refused for the following reasons:

(a)  The applicant has failed to provide an adequate or satisfactory fire safety risk assessment;

(b)  The applicant has failed to provide an adequate or satisfactory EICR;

(c)   The applicant has failed to provide adequate or satisfactory evidence of the sufficiency of financial resources to enable the Committee to determine that the site can and will be properly managed; and

(d)  The Council is not satisfied that the proposed manager, Mr David Sunderland, can be considered to be a fit and proper person for the following reasons:

(i)    It is not considered that adequate evidence has been provided to demonstrate that the proposed manager will/can actually manage the site adequately or at all.

(ii)   The Committee is not satisfied that the proposed site manager is able to manage such a large scale responsibility of portfolio of in excess of 80 residential mobile home sites.

(iii)  The existing condition of the site is such that no fit and proper site owner and/or manager would allow the site to deteriorate to such an unsatisfactory condition.

(iv)  The failure and refusal to provide an adequate and satisfactory fire risk assessment and EICR is strongly indicative of the proposed site manager not being a fit and proper person.

In reaching its decision, the Committee took into account the following concerns with regards to the site as well as other matters as set out in the documents before the Committee and representations made to the Committee:

(a)  Issues relating to unsatisfactory water supply to the residents.

(b)  Issues relating to the adequacy and safety of the roads and pathways on site including current arrangements impeding the access of emergency vehicles.

(c)   Issues relating to adequacy and safety of the electricity supply on site.

(d)  Matters concerning the unsatisfactory provision and maintenance of lighting on site.

(e)  Matters concerning the adequacy and sufficiency of parking on site.

(f)   Matters concerning the sufficiency of maintenance of vegetation on site particularly in respect of fire safety.

(g)  Matters concerning the lack of maintenance of vacant plots on site and wider maintenance issues.

(h)  The applicant’s failure and refusal to display an up-to-date and accurate site plan at the entrance to the site.