[Alex B]

Hi there, I'm new here, so apologies if this has been covered before. I have a small parcel of green belt land that has 4 stables on it. I purchased it 3 years ago and have put bird and bat boxes up, I have just installed 2 bee hives and I let the locals put grazing horses on there from time to time
I have a tractor, excavator and dumper on it. I also have 2 ex military vehicles 1 winch truck and 1 crane which I use both of on the land as it sometimes gets very wet as it is flood plain. i have received a letter fron the council informing me that some local do-gooder has complained that i am storing ex military vehicles on there and I do not have planning permission for them. As I say, they are used on the land for craning telegraph poles, stillages and the like.
There are 9 similar plots down the track where it is situated all under 5 acres which all have vehicles stored on them and have done for over 30 years and 2 of the plots have even been granted permission and have houses built on them,
Could anybody tell me the best way to go about this please? 

[Fleecewife]

I'm all for approaching such things head on.  I would make an appointment to see the letter sender to discuss just what the problem is.  You can then present your side and they can present theirs.  Think up every question you want answered before you go.  It would be interesting to know why the person who has reported you actually did so, if every other patch is doing similar things.  Is there a move to 'clean up' the area perhaps, or build houses there given the new rules about using green belt land for housing?
Or, you could bury your head in the sand, ignore the letter and hope it all goes away.  It won't!

[doganjo]

I'm all for approaching such things head on.  I would make an appointment to see the letter sender to discuss just what the problem is.  You can then present your side and they can present theirs.  Think up every question you want answered before you go.  It would be interesting to know why the person who has reported you actually did so, if every other patch is doing similar things.  Is there a move to 'clean up' the area perhaps, or build houses there given the new rules about using green belt land for housing?
Or, you could bury your head in the sand, ignore the letter and hope it all goes away.  It won't!

I agree with that, also ask the others f they have been contacted too, and keep all emotion out of it

[Penninehillbilly]

That sounds quite a lot of vehicles on a relatively small area of land. It sounds more like you are storing vehicles for a business there?  Are they parked out of the way?
I have to admit, as a Parish councillor in an area we like to see tidy, (it's a popular walking area) we would be questioning the need for all those vehicles? Though it would be up to the local borough council to take any action.