An East Sussex park operator is seeking permission to change the use of one of its sites from holiday to residential. We find out more…

Osborn Leisure Ltd wants to convert Chestnut Meadow Country Park, in Bexhill, from a holiday park to a full-time, permanent residential development.
Its application seeks permission to for 22 static caravans, which are currently on-site, to become full-time residential accommodation.
Currently, these caravans are subject to an occupancy condition which prevents each of them from being used as a sole or main residence. Further conditions also mean the site can only be lawfully occupied for 10 months of the year.

In general, council planning policies seek to avoid the loss of holiday accommodation, although agents for the operator argue the small scale of the site and the need for housing within the district should see the scheme approved.

The application goes on to argue that the lack of physical changes to the site would prevent refusal on other grounds, such as its access, drainage or impact on the character of the area.
The last of these — impact on the character of the area — had been a significant factor in the refusal of a previous proposal from the same applicant. This previous scheme, which was dismissed at appeal in April 2023, sought permission to site 50 new residential park homes. This application was rejected. Osborn Leisure also runs Golden Cross Caravan Park, in Hailsham, and the Warrenwood Caravan Park, in Pevensey. The operator has submitted similar change of use applications for these other sites in recent years. In 2021, the operator secured planning permission from Wealden District to use 29 static caravans at Golden Cross as full-time park homes. Through a separate application, it also secured permission to use nine out of 25 homes at Warrenwood for the same purpose. It is currently in the process of seeking further planning permission covering the remaining 14 homes at Warrenwood.