Neighbours of an upmarket glamping site have complained its disruption and fire smoke is causing people to sell up their houses.
Villagers in the quiet hamlet of Frogham say that Harry’s Field, in the heart of Hampshire’s New Forest, is a fire hazard that has made locals “lives a misery”.
The campsite, which has previously earned a spot among The Sunday Times’ top UK campsites, is run by Vivien Sheriff, a milliner for the Royal Family. When Ms Sheriff put in a planning application to extend the dates the campsite could open up to 52 days last December, villagers responded in uproar to the New Forest National Park Authority council.
Some 40 neighbours responded to the campsite owner’s application to object to its business expansion plans.
Local Stephen Havelock objected publicly, complaining: “much more noise and loud music has been generated - as well as smoke, intense cooking smells of burgers etc and increased numbers of campers, traffic and parking on the verges.”
He said the owners hire out fire pits and sell logs despite the campsite’s location nearby several thatched cottages and the new forest, calling it “a tinderbox in the summer” in a location “where BBQs and open fires are banned.”
Mr Havelock continued that the farm was “detested by many locals who dread the start of the campsite opening as it makes their lives a misery”, adding that he believed multiple residents had sold up and moved away “because this campsite had made their lives intolerable.”
Another local, Doctor Helen Taylor, said they objected “in the strongest possible terms” to the campsite’s request to extend its opening time.
“Neighbouring houses have thatched roofs and the low water pressure in the area would make fighting a significant thatch fire, extremely difficult.
“In addition to the fire risk, this number of fires and barbeques produce large amounts of smoke that drift across our garden and into our house, making it unpleasant to be in the garden in the evening and meaning that we have to keep our doors and windows shut, whatever the weather.
“Other residents have suffered significant worsening of their asthmatic symptoms as a result of this smoke pollution,” she added.
Ms Sheriff told The Times: “Nobody wants a quiet campsite more than we do.”
“There is no way we would be able to run if what [neighbours] were saying is true. We were encouraged to do this by the director of the national park planning team. This has been stormed up by a few people who have an axe to grind.”
Harry’s Field claims to be a “tranquil pop-up campsite surrounded by quiet country lanes and hedgerows teeming with wildlife”, which provides a family-friendly, dog-friendly camping experience.
The owners have stipulated that while fires are allowed, campers can only use fire pits provided by the campsite and disposable barbecues are not allowed due to the wildfire risk they pose.
The campsite rents out fire pits for £15 for one night, with prices going up £5 for each additional night. Campers are provided with one load of kiln-dried wood and charged £8 per bucket afterwards for any additional firewood.
They have also asked that no music or radios are listened to on site with an 11pm noise curfew.
New Forest National Park Authority rejected the application last week on the grounds it would have an “unacceptable adverse impact” on the neighbouring residents.
The Independent has contacted New Forest National Park Authority for comment.
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