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Caravan park residents, living in fear of possible eviction amid a planning battle, have been given a three-month reprieve.
Pilgrims Retreat Holiday caravan park, off Hogbarn Lane in Harrietsham has permission for 180 holiday homes and 18 permanent residential pitches.
However, more homes have now been added without authorisation, Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) says, and the site is being operated in breach of its licence.
The residents in the holiday homes are supposed to maintain permanent homes elsewhere, although confusingly they can live on the site all year round.
Park owner, Sines Parks Luxury Living Ltd, run by Maurice ‘Fred’ Sines, submitted a “part-retrospective” planning application seeking a change of use for the park to become fully residential, but at the same time, expanding from 198 lodges to 248. The scheme was rejected in September 2019.
Planning officers were about to begin enforcement action in February, after lengthy negotiations with park owners failed, but councillors put a stop on it while a final attempt to find a compromise was made, with November 27 given as the deadline and a steering group set up.
The enforcement notice would order a reduction in the number of caravans on site to 198 within two years, for permanent residential use to cease on 180 of the 198 caravans that remain on site within four years.
During the planning committee hearing on Thursday, members voted to allow a three month extension, however.
The main reason for the extension request is due to the time time taken to submit the steering group’s initial negotiation position in June.
Chairman Cllr Clive English said progress had been made but it wasn’t going to be a case of “indefinitely extending”.
“If progress isn’t forthcoming we will have to move forward with enforcement,” he said, adding: “We need this to be resolved.”
Council officer James Bailey said he had been told by the company an application is “forthcoming”, adding “I think that could be positive in terms of a lot of issues that members have been putting forward.”
