Jail threat for chalet owners
Residents living all year round in a holiday park could face jail if they refuse to move out for three months of the year.
Fareham Borough Council is set to pursue court injunctions against at least eight chalet owners at Solent Breezes holiday park in Warsash.
If the council is successful in obtaining the injunctions and the residents fail to move out during the winter months, they could be sent to jail.
The council's planning committee took the decision last night to follow the long-running issue through the courts to finally put an end to it.
Planning expert Mark Jackson made a deputation on behalf of the residents, highlighting inconsistencies in the way the council has dealt with the issue in the past.
But Councillor Trevor Cartwright said: 'I think we as a council have probably not handled it too well, but equally the chalet owners were aware of the restrictions when they bought them.'
Councillor Connie Hockley added: 'We have got to be fair to everybody and at the moment that's not happening. If it has to go through the courts and the judicial system, so be it.'
Under the original agreement created in 1966, the 92 properties at the Chilling Lane site were only meant for summer and weekend use.
In 2008, five chalet owners were granted certificates of lawful use, which meant the council accepted the restrictions had been breached for more than a decade.
But in February of this year the planning committee refused to release these five owners from the conditions of their deeds – effectively forcing them to move out.
However, since February none of them have agreed to comply with the terms of their legal agreement, and council investigations have revealed that several other chalets are being occupied all year round.
Chairman of the committee, Councillor Nick Walker said: 'We owe it to the people who do live there as they should to make it fair to everyone.'
Council solicitor Gina Bailey added before the vote was taken: 'A decision here tonight doesn't render anyone homeless tomorrow – this is a long process.'
The decision to go with the officer's recommendation of pursuing court injunctions was carried by seven votes to two.
Several residents affected attended the meeting, but they declined to comment afterwards.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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