Koos Bekker visits Caroline Chichester-Clark to discuss Yarlington Lodge

KB visits Caroline Chichester-Clark to discuss Yarlington Lodge. Account of the meeting (as provided by Caroline).

He asked me what concerned me most about the issue of Yarlington Lodge. 

I said:

• Unacceptable amount of increased traffic, noise, pollution etc. He said they could perhaps close the drive opposite me and have an in/out drive at the top of the hill just below the de Salises’ drive (more on this anon). He ignored points about noise travelling and my comment that we hear A371 and A303 when wind is from those directions, despite latter being a couple of miles away. I said closing the drive opposite us would certainly be an excellent idea because it is very dangerous (see our damaged wall and wrecked side door). He asked how fast our broadband is? I said good enough for our needs, people working and home-schooling etc.
• Unsuitable and dangerous lanes for numbers envisaged. He ignored the point.
• Noise from large gatherings as well as traffic. He ignored the point but Paul has since told me there will be no fireworks, no outside music.
• Destruction of yet another particularly delicate, beautiful part of rural England of which so little is left. He didn’t address this. I said the magic and charm of Shatwell has been destroyed. He said it is looking better now.
• Lodge will be used by rich clientele who will contribute nothing to village life. He didn’t comment. I pointed out he has good access roads at the Newt, a new slip road, a car park, plenty of space and could build a venue up there which wouldn’t bother anyone. He said he had been approached by the richest indian family in the UK who wanted to book the Newt for a family gathering and they couldn’t be accommodated at the hotel (I understand this.) As you know, apart from 60 beds, he wants a car park for up to 150 cars and venue space on footprint of riding school for up to 200 people. He didn’t seem to understand this would swamp a village of approx. 90 people (I think he confuses ‘towns’ and ‘villages’ as you have pointed out). 
• I also said Yarlington Lodge had never been part of the Hadspen Estate. I asked Koos why he bought it and he said "because it is beautiful!" I imagine he could, so he did.
• I also asked how we could be sure this proposed development wouldn’t turn into something bigger a few months/years down the line. He said that would be up to the planners (ie: no concern of his). He may not realise he is in danger of destroying the very thing he values: priceless peace, beauty, untrammelled rural landscape?

CONCLUSION: I cannot gauge whether it matters to Koos that the entire village and wider parish are, as far as I am aware, against this proposed development. It seems his attitude is: “all will be well in the end, people will come round to it”. But the tarmac will have been laid, huge numbers catered for and the village and landscape, in my view, blighted. Once changed from residential to commercial use there little chance of going back.