Fury erupts in historic village after ‘illegal swingers campsite’ opens in popular beauty spot
A planning row has erupted after an "illegal swingers' campsite" opened in a historic East Sussex village.
Whatlington's parish council has launched a formal complaint to the planning authority, claiming the "adult-only naturist site" - named Turn a Blind Eye - is ruining the rural character of its location in the High Weald area of outstanding natural beauty.
The complaint arose after the four-year-old son of a local farmer saw a naked couple engaged in sexual activity as he and his father drove down the lane on their tractor.
Turn a Blind Eye advertises itself as a "clothing-optional adults-only campsite" where people can "unwind and be yourself".
Reviews on its social media pages claim it is "balanced to perfection" and provides an "ample smattering of play areas".
Turn a Blind Eye's Facebook page also features pictures of its highlights, alongside photos of topless women in hot tubs and visitors bearing all behind a fire pit.
Owners of the camp submitted a planning application to Rother District Council seeking permission for a 36 pitch site for "holiday camping and caravanning".
This application has been opposed by Whatlington parish council, who claim the site has already been operating for two years "illegally".
In its formal objection, the parish council said: "This application is disingenuous and misleading. For the past two years, as well as operating an illegal campsite, it has operated as an adult themed entertainment venue.
"The application makes no mention at all that the site, which trades under the name 'Turn a Blind Eye', is (in its own words) 'an adult-only naturist camping site', nor that it provides adult themed entertainment, activities and events (in its own words 'open-minded events')."
The council said caravans of naked visitors would not "maintain or improve the rural character" of the area.
It added that both the "scale and location" of the proposed site were not in alignment with the area of outstanding natural beauty.
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But Turn a Blind Eye, responding through an agent, has said its primary function was a campsite and other activities were "incidental to the camping use".
The site owners also said the naked couple spotted by the farmer and his young son had been kicked off the site, after they learned of the incident.
Its owners argued, however, that sexual activity could occur anywhere, and the camp being a naturist site did not increase the odds of "a crime being committed".
"Indeed, what occurred could have happened at any campsite, however occupied, or at any open-air event. It is disingenuous to suggest otherwise," the owners of Turn a Blind Eye said.
Some Whatlington locals have supported the parish council's objection, with one man telling The Telegraph approval would "adversely change the character" of the village, adding it would put off prospective newcomers.
And another woman said she did not support the application because "noise from the events" could be heard from "across the valley".
But one man, from Cranbrook, Kent, said he and his wife had visited the site several times over the past two years and said naturists were already "extremely restricted" in where they could be their "true selves".
A decision on the planning application is expected to be made later this year.
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