A row over a static caravan which has dragged on for around a quarter of a century has led to a court showdown. The feud, between businessman Raymond Hollocks and the Broads Authority (BA), concerns the development of three sites on the Norfolk Broads.
Mr Hollocks owns three sites on the Norfolk Broads and is in a protracted legal fight with the authority over each site.
Believing there’s a “personal vendetta” against him he alleges the authority is holding back his plans to build businesses on the Broads.
A civil case, set to be heard in August, will see Mr Hollocks face allegations of failing to abide by an enforcement notice to remove static caravans from the Broads.
Mr Hollocks said the authority had tried to take away his boat trade and penalised him over his renovations.
In a statement, he said: “It’s heart-breaking what the BA has done to our rivers. It used to be a thriving place around here. By taking away my boat trade, they are now trying to penalise me for renovating the place to have a focus on accommodation and fishing to boost trade.”
However, the Broads Authority said any “personal vendetta” by it against Mr Hollocks was untrue.
A spokesperson for the authority said: “The landowner has committed the same breach of planning regulations at three locations now and the Authority has no option but to take enforcement action against somebody flouting planning regulations so consistently.”
In a statement, a spokesperson for the BA said: “Through our websites, social media and Broadcaster Magazine, the Broads Authority provides comprehensive visitor information on the best places to visit in the unique and beautiful southern rivers.
“We have also produced guides in Broadcaster and animated safety videos on how to safely cross Breydon Water.
“There is also our friendly and helpful team at Great Yarmouth Yacht Station who advise boaters on the best crossing times.
“In particular, the tranquil Southern Rivers is a mecca for paddlers, with some fantastic yards where you can hire canoes, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards and lots of great local pubs, restaurants and cafes to fuel up at.”
The court battle marks the latest chapter in a long-running dispute which began in 1997, eight years after the authority was established.
That year, Mr Hollocks bought his first business, the Beauchamp Arms, on the banks of the River Yare. He bought two other sites, the Berney Arms – downstream of the Beauchamp Arms and Loddon Marina on the River Chet.
The row escalated when the authority said it wasn’t happy with cladding he was using and disapproval over the bright blue paint he used on his pub. There were objections about lighting on the half-mile track to the pub from the main road and kerbing.
A recurring source of dispute has been the use of static caravans at all three sites. In April, the authority issued an enforcement notice to remove two static caravans and a wooden building at the Berney Arms. Another order was made for two caravans at Loddon.
On the Beauchamp Arms, Mr Hollocks said: “We don’t get the trade on this section, because the BA’s focus is primarily on Oulton and the northern section.
“Beauchamp is special in so many ways, it has amazing energy and is in a beautiful and marvellous setting and I am very welcoming and would love people to come along here and sit and relax. I have the best intentions for this place and it is devastating the BA are not helping us run it.”
