THE owner of a former pub which has been turned into holiday cottages says a fence is needed around the car park to stop couples having sex there.

Robert Macey, owner of the Nags Head Inn Cottages in Longhope, also wants to divert a footpath which is part of the historic Gloucestershire Way around the site.

Longhope Parish Council and some neighbours raised objections to the scheme, but Mr Macey told Forest planners that security cameras installed last year had filmed people driving into the car park on the A40 and having sex.

Condoms had been thrown on the ground and other problems picked up on CCTV included people urinating in the bushes, dog fouling and people disposing of junk food litter from parked vehicles.

He said: “One of the many reasons for the fence is that, since we have installed security cameras and started works in July 2018, we have observed many issues with the car park and have footage and pictures…

“We have witnessed cars parking opposite in the evening with couples having sex… (people) having lunch and/or food like takeaways and throwing their leftover paper out into the bushes… (and) passers by pulling into the car park and urinating in the bushes.”

Dog walkers had also been spotted allowing their pets to use the car park on Ross Road as “a toilet”.

“We have many incidents we would be happy to show anyone who would like to see them; it’s not fair that we have to clean up this mess after people.”

The parish council said there were safety concerns over the pro-posed fence being close to a sharp bend in the road, plus fears of “unexpected changes” to the site in future and access to the field beside it.

Neighbour Anthony Rogers said: “An ornate gate and some fencing has already been erected in the car park.

“We are questioning why a close boarded 1.8m fence is needed and what is the proposed use of the land behind the fence… we are concerned as to what exactly that might be.

“We would like to express our concern that the public footpath, which is part of the Gloucestershire Way and has been there for probably hundreds of years, may now be moved.”

Another resident claimed permission for the car park was originally granted for pub users, and as it was no longer a pub, it “could be rescinded… and used as intended for the walkers of the Gloucestershire Way.”

Mr Macey withdrew his application last week with a view to further discussions with Forest planners.