Caravans, lodges sold as permanent homes

Holiday caravans and lodges are being sold as permanent homes without planning permission, a council has warned.

East Devon District Council blamed misleading marketing by park owners.

The council said: “It has been another bumper year for tourism but there are growing fears that tourist accommodation in the district is increasingly being sold off to those who want to live permanently in the area. Much of the holiday accommodation in the district takes the form of static caravans and lodges within holiday parks in the countryside, which provide attractive but affordable accommodation.

“These sites have often been granted planning permission subject to restrictions that they can only be occupied as holiday accommodation, but East Devon District Council is extremely concerned that these units are increasingly being sold off to purchasers who believe that they can live in them all year round, which is not the case.”

The council has to take enforcement action against the residents to prevent new permanent residences in the countryside, a long way from the services and facilities needed by permanent homes.

The council said many residents had claimed that they have been mis-sold their homes. Some have spent their life savings in the belief that they have found their dream retirement home, having been told by sales people that there are no restrictions on occupation or that such restrictions will not be enforced.

“In reality, there will be restrictions on most if not all of the holiday accommodation like this in the district and the council takes enforcing these restrictions very seriously,” a spokesman said.

The council is currently dealing with a couple of cases in the district where the residents claim that they have been mis-sold their homes and were led to believe that there was no issue with restrictions.

These cases are the subject of private legal action by the residents against the site owners and investigations by trading standards and so it is not appropriate to disclose the specifics of these cases, but one group of residents has recently been served enforcement notices giving them 12 months to vacate the holiday lodges, in which they are living permanently.

“It is not the council’s wish to make anyone homeless and it is hoped that the residents will be able to make alternative arrangements during that time period and/or pursue any appeals against the council’s decisions that they may wish to make,” the spokesman said.

‘It is not council’s wish to make anyone homeless’

East Devon District Council