Ingoldmells caravan owners taking council to court over contract changes

  • ITV Calendar's Martin Fisher

Caravan owners in Ingoldmells, near Skegness, are taking legal action against the council over changes which they claim have forced some of them to sell their vans for scrap.

In October of 2019, East Lindsey District Council informed people on the Kingfisher Caravan Park about changes to their contracts, which meant that there could be no caravans older than 15 years based on the site.

The council originally gave the caravan owners until 2020 to remove all models that did not meet the new criteria but the deadline was extended following the coronavirus pandemic.

Campaigners on the Kingfisher Caravan Park Site say that the Council has now set a deadline of the end of this year for certain caravans to be removed.

More than 100 caravan owners are involved in the action against East Lindsey District Council but the authority argues the move will modernise the campsite.

There are 720 plots on the Kingfisher Caravan site and currently more than 300 of them standing empty.

Stuart Allen is one of the residents on the site planning to take the council’s ruling to court.

In a statement East Lindsey District Council said:

"As a Council we have made a commitment to investing in and improving Kingfisher Caravan Park, to the benefit of the licensees and visitors who we know value and cherish the site."

"In order for us to do this, and to ensure the sustainability of the site, in 2019 we introduced a 20-year age limit – not 15 years as purported by Mr Allen.

"Recognising the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, and taking on board feedback we received, in 2020 we offered all licensees whose caravan would contravene the 20-year age limit at the end of the year a further annual licence."

"Thereby ensuring that no caravan would need to be upgraded or relocated until 31 December 2021 and hopefully providing some peace of mind during what was a tumultuous time."

"The changes to the terms and conditions for our licensees are just one part of a wider programme of work that we have undertaken at Kingfisher, which has included significant investment, which again, will help us to ensure that the park remains as sustainable operation and that can be enjoyed for years to come."