A WATERMILLOCK parish councillor says the lakeside at Ullswater could become littered with camper vans if plans to sell off agricultural land as small plots go ahead.

Tommy Coulthard, who has lived in the area for 50 years, says 23 acres of land, formerly part of the Knotts Farm estate at Watermillock, is being advertised for sale in 10 lots, with the suggestion that buyers could use it for camping or parking their motorhomes (subject to local planning restrictions).   Mr. Coulthard said if this was permitted it would pave the way for anyone with agricultural land in the area to break it up in this way, to the detriment of the existing landscape.   Although the land is not being sold with the benefit of planning permission, Mr. Coulthard fears that the owner could “get around” the legislation in this way, because farmers are permitted to park a caravan or motorhome on their land for up to 28 days.   He said: “The land used to belong to Knotts Farm and the chap who bought Knotts Farm has split it up. Ten plots are on the market and supposedly you can put your caravan on it for up to 28 days.   “If you imagine every field around the lake, if someone can come along and divide a field up like that, this would pave the way for everybody to do it.”  

However, the Lake District National Park Authority works from the point of view that the legislation allows only owners to park a caravan or motorhome in each “field”, as designated by the Land Registry, and if that field was broken up, the owners would only own that right collectively, so would not be able to park several caravans over each individual plot.   A spokesman said: “We are aware of this proposed development and we will be talking to the owners to explain to them what they can and can’t do on that site with that land.”   The plots of land are being offered at prices ranging from £39,995 to £239,995, with the most expensive being those with lake frontage.