VILLAGERS have hit out over what they say are planning breaches creating an eyesore at a Herefordshire mobile home park.

Wigmore Parish Group Council called on Herefordshire Council to investigate what it claimed were “multiple breaches” of planning conditions at a mobile home park behind the Castle Inn.

At a July meeting it approved a report detailing the alleged breaches, which included 24 caravan bases being installed, four more than originally permitted.

The report also alleged they were partly on land not covered by the original permission, including on the pub’s beer garden.

And it claimed work on the site continued after a end date agreed verbally with the council’s planning enforcement officer.

A Wigmore resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “The villagers are extremely concerned with the uncontrolled development.

“It has created an eyesore, led to sewage problems, destroyed habitats, has a huge carbon footprint and will raise traffic on an already congested road.”

Coun Carole Gandy, ward county councillor, said the most recent planning application had been made by a previous owner of the site in 2007, and that it has since changed hands several times.

Herefordshire Council said it was aware of the issue and it was under investigation.

It confirmed that it had received a retrospective planning application for work at the site, which would appear online shortly.

The site’s owner Andrew Lunnon, who also owns the Castle Inn, said permission was granted in 1987 and the latest work was in line with that. He said the “lodge-type” mobile homes would each be owned privately for holiday use throughout the year.

“I am just bringing them up to modern health and safety and other standards,” he said, and expected permission to be granted.

“If they have been in continual use for over 10 years, permission is automatically granted,” Lunnon said.

He added that work on the homes stopped as soon as he was told to do so by the council, and the tree felling had been carried out by next-door neighbours, not within the park.

“I am thinking of closing the Castle Inn for good in the next four weeks,” he said.

“I lose money on it, I kept it open to keep the villagers happy, but everyone is complaining. I wish folks would just have a chat with me.”