Caravan owners stir up a storm.

A RESIDENTS' watchdog has joined Solihull Council's fight against the "anti social" parking of caravans and boats in front of private homes.

They claim some owners cause " considerable dis-ress " to neighbours by parking vans and other large vehicles on small front gardens, destroying the view from their homes.

Solihull Council is backing Sandwellj Wolverliampion and Coventry in attacking the West Midlands County Council's decision to drop a clause which would give them the power to control such parking".

After a storm of protests from caravan owners, a clause was deleted from the county's private Bill due to go before Parliament later this year

Object

Before local government re-organization: councils had the power to enforce parking jn front of homes in cases where residents com-piamed.

A Solihull council spokesman said it was not their aim to stamp out caravan and boat parking altogether.

They only wanted the power to control it should residents object that it was detrimental to the neighbourhood and its amenities.

Now Wells Green and Lyndon residents association is backing So3ihullfs proiest.

A spokesman said; "Many caravan owners in our area adopt a responsible attitude their storage, but a minority cause considerable distress to neighbours by parking on smalt front gardens.1'

But in cases where residents had complained they were told that the council had no power to restrict anti social parking.