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Spring Newsletter 2008 Page 1 |
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Written by Ron Joyce
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Saturday, 05 July 2008 |
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www.phraa.co.uk PHRAA NEWS. www.phraa.co.uk
Spring 2008. No Waffle “Tells it as it is”
PHRAA works exclusively for park homeowners.
PHRAA does NOT offer help and advice to Park Owners.
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Head Office. 5. Silver Poplars, Kingswood, Albrighton, Wolverhampton. WV7 3AP.
Tel/Fax. 01902 373462. Email. ronjoyce @ phraa.co.uk.
Petition.
Thanks to every one of you who signed the PHRAA Petition Form enclosed with the Autumn Newsletter. Thanks to your efforts we had well over 1,000 signatures, many with your valuable comments added, which was a brilliant result considering the limited distribution and the short period available before the closing date. Colin and I as your PHRAA representatives on the All Party Working Group for the Welfare of Park Homeowners presented the Petition to Lord Graham of Edmonton (Secretary) at the APWG meeting at Westminster on the 28th April 2008. Lets hope your efforts help to bring forth the desired results. One very disturbing and frequently expressed comment from those returning the completed Petition Form was that many more would have signed but were afraid of reprisals from their park owner. A sign of the times eh? Ron.
PHRAA ACCOUNTS.
Joan PHRAA’s hard working Treasurer wishes it known that the Accounts for the 5 years from commencing PHRAA in 2002 to 31st March 2007 have now been completed by our Accountant and submitted to the Inland Revenue.
If you wish to have a copy please write to Mrs. Joan M Williams (Treasurer) PHRAA. at “HIGH VIEW” 2. Pool View Park, Buildwas, Shropshire. TF8 7BS quoting your membership number, your full name, address and enclosing SAE., and Joan will be happy to send you a copy.
The current years accounts 2007 / 2008 are in the process of being completed. Once completed, Joan will issue a notice on the PHRAA Website and Newsletter. Ron.
Latest News Hot off the press.
New “MODEL STANDARDS” issued for Residential Park/ Mobile Home Sites and how they effect you????
You may be aware that the Government issued a revised set of “Model Standards”, to be applied at the discretion of the local council, which came into force on the 3rd April 2008. Whilst most of the various conditions are little different to the now defunct 1989 Model Standards there are certain changes, which could prove to be detrimental to the homeowner. These have conveniently provided the unscrupulous park owner with yet another stick with which to beat the helpless vulnerable residents, especially those of us who take a pride in our gardens. Paragraph 2 Sub paragraph (f) states that “Fences and hedges. Where allowed and forming the boundary between adjacent caravans, ( Note the fact that your beautiful park home is still, in 2008, classed as a “CARAVAN”) should be a maximum of 1 metre high. (39 inches) No doubt this new requirement will include any plants, bushes or trees you have loving planted and cared for in making your pitch as attractive as possible. Any privacy you may have enjoyed will be gone forever as your neighbours will be unable to avoid an unrestricted view straight into your home and vice versa. Have those responsible considered the adverse effect on the parks wildlife much cherished by the average elderly park home resident and the environment. Not many birds will nest or perch in a 3 foot high bush, not to mention the neighbourhood squirrels deprived of anywhere to climb up to steal the bird food from the feeder you once hung on the branch of a shrub or tree outside your window. You could of course hang your bird feeder from a hook on your home or erect a non-combustible stand or pole for the purpose, providing that is, that before doing either, you have first obtained the necessary written permission from your park owner.
(See express terms of the new 2006 standard form of agreement as issued by the BH&HPA & NPHC or Park Rules)
Many parks are situated in exposed rural areas where hedges and trees acted as a necessary windbreak as well as providing welcome shade during the hot summer days, especially in view of the ever increasing cost of fuel spent on keeping a park home warm in winter and the difficulty of keeping them cool in summer. With more an more established parks changing ownership and undergoing development, which usually means that all existing trees, hedges, shrubs and green spaces etc., have been massacred to make room for the park owner to cram in as many new homes as possible. Any shrubs and hedges remaining in residents gardens, whilst they remain until they too are booted off, are the only relief in the resulting desert of concrete, gravel, grass and tarmac. Open plan is now the order of the day on Parks.
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