SOMERSET Council has granted planning permission for one of its own councillors to keep controversial caravans on his land in Blue Anchor.

Cllr Marcus Kravis, who has been involved in several planning issues where councils on which he sat have granted him approval, was given temporary permission four years ago for the caravans.

Now, his fellow councillors have made the consent permanent despite local fears about coastal erosion.

Cllr Kravis runs the village’s Anchors Drop holiday accommodation with his partner and fellow Dunster division Cllr Cara Strom.

The six caravans at the former hotel site were retrospectively approved by the then-Somerset West and Taunton Council (SWT), on which he also sat.

A condition of the then-temporary permission was the caravans had to be removed after five years, due to concern about erosion of the West Somerset coast.

However, since then the unitary authority which succeeded SWT spent £3.7 million on a coastal defence scheme below the Anchor’s Drop with granite rock armour installed at the base of the cliffs.

On Tuesday (April 28) planning committee members unanimously voted to approve an application by Cllr Kravis for the caravans to remain permanently, arguing any immediate risk to local residents and tourists has been sufficiently reduced.

Cllr Kravis told the committee: “The proposal does not seek to intensify, extend, or materially alter the approved development.

“The material change in circumstances arises from the completion of the coastal defence works.

“The continuation of a fixed-year time limit would significantly undermine the long-term viability and sustainability of this business.

“Such a restriction limits the ability to plan, invest, and maintain the site appropriately, it discourages further capital expenditure and creates unnecessary uncertainty.

“Inward investment is a real worry, as somebody tries to run a business, and the planning conditions here are well thought out.”

Cllr Mandy Chilcott, from Minehead, said: “For me, the risk has not gone away totally.

“While the tidal element has been improved greatly, on the land side there is still a risk.

“That being said, this is self-regulating, and in the event that there was further movement of the cliffs, they would be vacated very hastily.”

Cllr Gwil Wren, representing Wiveliscombe and Milverton, questioned if the siting of the caravans should be revisited in the near future should any further substantial erosion take place.

He said: “The rock armour has been put in place, though it needs to be said the rock armour is there not to defend this property, but to protect the road which has lost its function at the Watchet end.

“The armour does tail off a bit at the eastern end.

“With hard defences like this, the sea tends to go around the end of them.

“There is an increased risk of the sea eroding the soft cliffs, which is a problem right the way along towards Watchet.

“I would want a review of this after a period of time, but I am not entirely sure whether that is in the gift of this committee.”