CONCERNS have been raised about plans to prevent cars driving on Kempsey Common.

Michela Hawes-Jones said she welcomed proposals to protect the land from people driving their cars on the grass using fixed boulders, but said she was worried repositioning the access to the Farmers Arms caravan site would leave a large area in front of her home vulnerable to "continued handbrake turns and rally driving".

Speaking at Kempsey Parish Council she said: "Also it is possible to see that cars use the hard standing in this area do not reverse but simply turn on the grass cutting up the area.

"The proposed location of the new access will require what we consider to be major development on common land."

Mrs Hawes-Jones said a ramp would need to be built to give vehicles access to the site, and said there were also problems with drainage in the area.

"Any rubble or gravel track will simply sink into the ditch and be unsustainable," she said.

"If a track or hard standing is then added, this will constitute work on common land, which would require consent from the Secretary of State and may also need planning permission.

"The caravan site entrance has been adjacent to the common for many years and because of the planning restrictions limiting its use causes negligible damage and therefore we do not feel this development has any bearing on the problem you are trying to eradicate."

Mrs Hawes-Jones said she felt it was the parish council's obligation to protect the local environment and prevent major developments on common land.

"We would like the parish council to provide boulders around the full perimeter of the green area, including a lockable bollard so that access can still be made to the historically satisfactory access to the caravan site."