Using holiday home as permanent home

elljay wrote: »

For example someone I know moved into a holiday let while waiting for their own house to be sold, and ended up just staying on - over 2 years now. It's in the middle of the village and everyone knows but no-one is bothered, why should they?

Some people will "care" as using a holiday home in this way can lead to the creation of a new residential dwelling in an area where the planning policies restrict new dwellings e.g. National Park, AONB etc.

Create too many new dwellings and - potentially - you open the floodgates to new development. This is the main reason why the properties only have PP for restricted use - it prevents sprawling development in an area which has been given protection against development. Hence, many people will report unauthorised occupation.

I do agree with you though - the buildings are there already. I'm struggling to find a rental property in a rural area .... in an AONB .... so I know exactly what you mean!

OK, well, for contibuting. I am staying with my parents. My dad is a weekender, my mother lives here fulltime.

I returned home last year while my husband was completing a contract abroad I consider my self a temporary resident. Every year my father donates the main prize to the village raffle (which raises loads) and my mother and I when I am here bake like billyo for the cake stalls at the fete, the garden sales. We also contribute to all the other village events, though rarely attend or tend to pop in for a drink an show face. Te other weekenders or work in londons also contribute a lot (not least use of grounds for events and money). In previous years when I was living in London I would come down for the fete (though not te other events) and bring cakes or stuff for the bric and brac stall and every year I have been in the county I have manned a stall at this thing. I agree its sad when village spirit is lost but I think its really sad when the village cuts off the 'incomers' and makes them feel like NOT contributing. In fact, in our village and our previous two villages I think the 'part time in londoners' all contributed MOST in time because they were keen to live the dream. I appreciate it isn't always so but as someone who also loves village life it oes make me frustrated when this divide occurs.

We own a holiday cottage, but before anyone starts to criticise, it is the original stable & creamery which are attached to our house & unable to be sold on separately.

According to the original planning permission, we can let 52 weeks per year but any individual let can only last a maximum of 14 weeks. Over the winter, some of the holiday parks here close up. They have people who live in the static caravans for 9 months of the year, and so for the winter, they book into the holiday cottages for a 3 month (13 week) let whilst the parks are shut. We are in a AONB too.