VILLAGERS are angry at plans by the owners of a Teignbridge holiday park to allow use of caravans as permanent homes.

Devon Valley Holiday Village in Shaldon closed in 2022 but now the current owners have applied for a Certificate of Lawfulness.

A planning statement to Teignbridge Council claims, as there were no conditions imposed on previous planning permissions, there is no ‘enforceable’ condition on how the caravans can be occupied.

But residents and Shaldon Parish Council are making their objections known to Teignbridge planners.

However, as the application is for a certificate of lawful development, it means the decision will be based solely on whether it meets the criteria for permitted development or whether planning permission is needed.

While comments can be made, they can’t be taken into consideration.

There have already been a number of objections with the main issue being the use as a permanent home considered to be a ‘clear, material change of use’.

One objector said: ‘The site has been used for a number of years as a holiday park.

‘Dress it up any way you want with fancy legal twaddle, but this application is a material change of use and must be rejected on that basis.’

It was agreed Shaldon Parish Council write a ‘strongly worded letter’ reflecting that it and residents object to the proposal.

A planning statement says: ‘It is known the site has been used for the siting of static caravans occupied for holiday purposes.

‘However, only limited permissions have been located for the caravans.

‘The uses are long established and clearly lawful through the passage of time.

‘This application proposes a use of the caravans that have been occupied seasonally for holiday purposes to be used including as a main residence, for any type of human habitation reflecting the absence of any restriction.’

According to the planning statement, the only control is over a two month period during which occupation is prohibited.

It claims, for the remaining 10 months of the year, the caravans may be occupied as a person’s sole or main place of residence.

The statement continues: ‘A resident who occupies one of the caravans on the site for 10 months of the year as their main place of residence would not be in breach of the condition.’

Objectors insist the park was only ever used as holiday accommodation in the past.

One said: ‘Historic use of the site has not included occupation of the caravans outside of recognised holiday periods.

‘To now effectively request permission for occupation on a permanent basis is clearly a change of use.’

But the new owners, who took over eight months ago, said: ‘We concluded that the park, after 20 years of a visible lack of investment, was neither profitable nor reflective of the standards we want to offer guests.

‘To continue running this park in its current format was no longer viable.

‘Devon Valley has much potential moving forward. ‘However, its condition resulted in high levels of customer complaints, and it failed to provide a holiday experience befitting of its beautiful location.’

Another objector said: ‘The site has been used for a number of years as a holiday park. Dress it up any way you want with fancy legal twaddle, but this application is a material change of use and must be rejected on that basis.’