MP urges eviction threat residents to use law

Graham Stuart, the MP for Beverley and Holderness, was speaking after residents were issued enforcement notices which they fear could see them evicted from their homes at Lakeminster Park, near Beverley.

The park, on the outskirts of the town, is made up of streets of tidy chalets. But it is developed on what used to be a caravan site and East Riding Council insists the homes are only for holiday use.

Mr Stuart, who will be chairing a meeting with residents at County Hall, in Beverley, on October 1, said he didn’t think the council had “any choice” over issuing the notices: “There are two things residents need to do – regularise their position by ensuring they have a main home elsewhere and secondly join the class action suit to hold the developer to account.”

Some residents are taking legal action over how the homes were sold and police have received an allegation of fraud.

But Alan Coates, who represents other residents, said he was focussing on appealing the enforcement notices.

They take effect on November 13 and residents have six months to comply. The council has said an appeal would “automatically suspend” the enforcement notices and they would ask the planning inspectorate to hold a public inquiry.

Mr Coates said: “We have just issued an invitation to be part of a collective appeal, and we’ve had 15 or so acceptances. We believe we have substantial grounds for an appeal.”

Police are said to be in the early stages of speaking to occupants to assess if appropriate action needs to be taken.

Lewis Griffiths, of Hacking Ashton LLP solicitors, which is acting for the site operator Lakeminster Park Ltd, said: “The enforcement notices will be appealed in tandem with the planning appeal. We will strongly contest the logic behind the council’s decision to seek to enforce.”