A new breed of homes could be set to unlock the housing crisis in the county – with those spearheading the push vowing to plough millions of pounds into a previously much-maligned sector.

Park homes, the latest evolutionary phase of what were once mobile home sites, are growing in popularity.

Built off-site and shipped in, they cost a fraction of traditional homes and don't require huge associated infrastructure.

But they do come with an image problem. And any expansion is likely to be mired in fears Kent's countryside could become awash with the modern equivalent of US-style trailer parks.

"If people think of them as poorly insulated or just mobile homes on stilts, they're absolutely right. But 20 years ago," explains Alfie Best, the self-made multi-millionaire behind Europe's biggest park home company, Wyldecrest Parks.

It already has parks in Rainham, Sevenoaks and Woodchurch, near Ashford, and is on the look-out for more.

"What we tend to find is people who think they are like holiday caravans. But park homes are built to a British residential standard now.

"They are built to the same specifications to what you'd build a normal house, albeit, it's built of timber with stucco cladding. It's no different to how the Americans build their houses.

"A park home doesn't start life as affordable housing and end up in the mainstream of housing. It starts affordable, continues as affordable and ends its life as affordable housing.

"It not only could be, it is the answer to affordable housing."

They do come with some draw backs, however – stumbling blocks some experts believe are currently insurmountable.

Banks don't offer mortgages on park homes, primarily become the owner doesn't own the land on which they are built and the semi-permanent nature of the building.

There's also the fact that unlike buying a regular property which will rise in value, the opposite tends to be true of park homes.

As a result, they tend to be offered to the over-50s who cash-in their traditional property as they enter semi or full retirement and buy the property outright. Ground rents are also payable.

But, says Mr Best, who recently appeared on ITV's Undercover Boss, like-for-like property price comparisons for the areas in which their parks are situated work out as "a minimum" of 50% cheaper than a traditional home. Plus there's no stamp duty or Land Registry fees. Which is not to be sniffed at.

And, he insists living costs are "on average 42% lower".

According to his company's website, the combined costs of council tax, utility bills and ground rent will set back a park home owner around £4,000 annually.

This, in part, is due to council tax judging them to be 'Band A' properties – the lowest possible.

And that, Mr Best insists, is the reason local authorities are not giving more approval.

"It's purely a financial reason," he explains. "They would much prefer to give permission to 50 new flats or houses than park homes. The reason being they're getting a much higher rate of council tax, plus all the stamp duty and Land Registry fees are paid."

Ultimately, he wants them to be opened up to all age groups. "But until the model of banks not lending on park homes changes, it won't change," he added.

Cresswell Welch has made a multi-million-pound fortune from home parks. Now the 58-year-old says he has up to £18m to invest in one or several sites in Kent to add to the 12 he already operates under his Crown Parks company.

“Park homes are the answer to the housing shortage,” insists Welch, whose holdings include a site in Ruckinge near Ashford.

“Sites can be smaller scale and quickly set up without the need for new roads and major infrastructure, and the homes simply delivered and ‘plugged in’ at the site – usually at half the cost of building a conventional property.

“It’s a sharp contrast with disruption caused by conventional major developments: ever-changing temporary road routes and closures that can last years while a major new ‘village’ is added.

"Our approach has a much softer touch and properties are made off-site and customised to the buyer’s wishes.

“And if, for argument’s sake, the authorities needed a change of plan a few decades later, the properties could be simply taken away, refurbished and erected elsewhere. Ikea is now proposing something similar as an option for 50 factory-built homes in Bristol, but we’ve been able to do this for years.”

But then the exponents of this rising force probably would say that, wouldn't they?

Spencer Fortag is managing director of Dockside Property Services in Medway. He believes while there is a place for park homes, they may not yet be the panacea.

He explains: "The big issue is they are not mortgageable as they are meant to be semi-permanent, moveable homes, and no lender is going to lend on something which could vanish. So they remain open only to the over-50s who are selling up their homes.

"But similar to accommodation made out of shipping containers and to a lesser degree of similarity, modular buildings, there is something to be said at looking at alternative ways of providing housing.

"Park homes in their current format may not be the answer, but an evolution of a park home, something that is permanent, something you can get a mortgage on, and something which is very affordable could work.

"I always feel that having a community built of that sort of structure, in an area outside of a main town, but with good infrastructure and ways of getting to high employment could be the answer.

"Because then you know you're looking at a land value which is low, which will work for developers, and it's getting people into areas of work.

"Anything is possible, but we need joined up thinking from the government, developers and also the banks and mortgage companies – we could provide a really good solution to both homelessness and affordable housing."

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