Caravan park residents ‘very angry’ over age-limit proposal, risks making parks ‘faceless’

In October 2019, East Lindsey District Council informed residents at the Kingfisher Caravan Park in Ingoldmells that a 15-year-age limit would be imposed on the site. The council said this limit can be increased with up to five, one-year extensions, but residents said this offered no guarantees.

“The Council backed down and stated in a letter to all of the owners that ‘all proposed changes have been consigned to history’.

“Then suddenly this appears, again, out of nowhere.

“Simply put this means that they are given ‘yearly contracts’ for the next 10 years that could be subject to change.

“Because there are no guarantees that they will be able to stay for one to 10 years.

“Unfortunately, not everybody has the strength or the will, to fight against an unfair Industry with no other recourse for fairness.”

She continued by saying this is an all-too-common scenario, with many issues at holiday parks going unnoticed.

She said: “I see so much of what goes on across the country, within this industry.

“It seems that far too many caravan parks are now seen and used purely, by many of those owning them, as money generating machines.

“Removing perfectly good caravans, that have been well kept and loved, has made many parks faceless and characterless.

“The ‘Great British holiday park’, has certainly lost all of its ‘greatness’ as it now concentrates on generating an estimated £94billion per year in the UK, by introducing age limits and upgrades to a commodity, that is built to last and of the highest spec.”

In a statement to Express.co.uk, a spokesperson for East Lindsey District Council said: “The comments from the ‘expert’ are correct, policies can lawfully and legitimately be reviewed, amended or repealed.

“In this case, the Council reviewed its policy position and determined that once a caravan sited at the Kingfisher Caravan Park reaches 15 years of age (the maximum duration of current licences), licensees may apply for, and the Council may grant, up to 10 annual licences (previously up to five annual licences).

“The grant of such annual licence being subject to an annual caravan inspection undertaken by the Council.

“Any caravan that fails such an inspection, or that reaches 25 years of age, will need to be removed from the Park.

“Having an upper age limit is a normal industry position and in place in many Parks.”