Award-winning winery leaves sour taste with villagers who call it a 'Frankenstein development' threatening future of local pub

An award-winning winery is embroiled in a planning row with villagers after they were accused of constructing an 'illegal car park' on farmland to cope with demand for their new cafe.

Over 150 padded mats have been fitted together across a field to accommodate visitors' cars and now the owners are seeking to install a permanent gravel replacement.

But neighbours claim the temporary car park was built without permission and imposes on the 'intrinsic nature of the open view' of the countryside.

Locals living near Penn Croft winery in Crondall, Hampshire, also accused the business of taking trade away from their local pub, subjecting their narrow roads to 'high volumes of traffic' and flouting planning laws.

The vineyard has been branded a 'Frankenstein development' by one local who said its developers have 'blatantly' breached the planning permissions originally granted to it.

Earlier this year, Penn Croft sought retrospective planning permission from Hart District Council for their Cellar Door cafe and a 28-space car park.

The new eatery seats 30 and offers customers a menu including a selection of the vineyard's own wines and charcuterie boards to share.

More than 60 people living nearby have objected to the development.

Pauline Tetlow said as a 'long standing' Crondall resident she 'did not contest' the original planning application for Penn Croft winery as she thought it was a business to be 'proud' of.

But the local said the planning applicant 'has not complied at all' with the application regarding parking.

Ms Tetlow said the parking facility being built on the farmland has changed it from an 'agricultural building' to a 'industrial site on a retail park'.

'The traffic being generated is not manageable on single track roads, these roads are used by walkers, cyclists, families with children and horse riders,' she said.

'Sadly I heard recently from a horse rider that it is thought too treacherous to ride along those lanes now.'

Ms Tetlow referenced the Plume of Feathers pub, which is nestled in the heart of the village and referenced a fund-raising campaign to 'save' it.

'It is an appalling state of affairs that this has been allowed to continue for so long in blatant breach of so many stipulations,' she added.

Another local, who asked not to be quoted, said the winery - and in particular The Cellar Door - is now 'directly competing' with the village pub.

The fundraiser 'Save the Plume' hopes to raise £10,000 for the local venue, which is at the 'hub of the community'.

Petition maker Emma Lewis said she there has been a 'constant uphill battle' to keep it going and the 'spiralling costs' and 'tragic summer trade' have left them facing closure.

Pamela Stevenson branded the 'illegal carpark' built on greenbelt land as being a 'considerable blot' on the landscape.

'The applicant's cynical disregard of the constraints accompanying his permission to provide catering for winery tours has already had a deleterious effect on this beautiful and hitherto unspoiled corner of Hampshire,' she said.

Jo Oliver Thorns, who also lives nearby, said while she is 'fully supportive' of the vineyard and winery, she does 'not approve of a large car park on an agricultural field central to our village and beautiful walks'.

Planning agency Advoco, which applied for planning permission on the vineyard's behalf, said the existing car park is only a 'temporary agreement'.

Defending his business, CEO Malcolm Walker said: '[The locals] are entitled to their opinion but we have built a business with two old barns - made of asbestos - and five years ago, they were an eyesore on the land.'

Mr Walker said the Cellar Door has been an 'amazing success for us' and was staffed mostly by local people.

On the car park, he said: 'We couldn't just allow people to just park on the road so we created a car park within a field. We own the field, it's our land.'

Mr Walker said they put in a 'temporary car park' to meet the demand of visitors and said he is paying £3,000 per month for the secure matting.

Speaking about his proposals, he said: 'It will be a sympathetic gravel car park to fit the environment.

'We have created quite a substantial amount of money which we spend on local business and we intended to keep on supporting those things.'

He added the proposed car park is 'visually soft' and if approved, will be 'enclosed by native hedging'.

Supporters of the vineyard said the independent business supplies wine to the Plume pub and also recommends it as a local place to stay and eat.

Edward Haig, 52, who supports the development said it is a 'really exciting new part of our village'.

'I think it brings a new aspect of life to our village and it's kind of cool to think theres this wine operation that's previously been in France - but now it's in Crondall,' the resident said.

Another resident wrote on the planning portal that the facility is a 'hub for locals' which 'enhances' the area.

Penn Croft describes itself as a 'planet friendly' winery who offers wine tours and live events.