Concerns have been raised over plans to use a caravan park all year round.

The owners of Clear Springs camp in Low Road, Dovercourt, want to open all 52 weeks allowing permanent occupancy of its chalets.

The camp is currently being used to house refugees.

The owners of the site, which has 22 chalets, want to lift a limitation which only allows the chalets to be occupied from March 1 to October 31.

During winter months they can be occupied over weekends and over Christmas and New Year, but the owners want to open all year round for a trial 12-month period.

At last night's meeting of Harwich Town Council, Steven Henderson said granting permission would set a "very dangerous precedent".

"If these 12 months were to be allowed on a trial basis it would carry on and on," he said.

"We all know what happened at Jaywick when holiday homes were used on a permanent basis.

"The council should nip this in the bud right now."

He added the owners had shown a "lack of responsibility" by allowing occupancy well outside current planning restrictions. Les Double said councillors were being "blackmailed on the sympathetic vote".

"This is a chance for them to fill their chalets over the winter period and make as much money from public bodies - such as other councils - as they can."

A letter submitted with the planning application by Clear Springs said the present occupiers were "extremely unlikely" to disturb neighbouring residents.The letter asked for "common charity" to be shown towards the refugees.

However, councillors recommended the plans for refusal, although Tendring Council will make a final decision.

The meeting was attended by nine neighbouring residents. Afterwards Jason Cattrell, 37, who lives next to the site which his grandfather Percival Fitchew built, said: "They are trying to turn it into an estate."

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