A couple who dreamed of escaping to the coast to run their own campsite have been left devastated after a planning officer reportedly laughed at their proposal, telling them the land was at risk of falling into the sea.
'Not a chance': The crushing phone call
Phil Merry and his wife Amy Parkinson, both 42, had their ambitions 'torn to shreds' during a phone call with North Norfolk District Council last month. After paying a £50 fee for pre-planning advice, they spoke to a trainee planning officer. Mr Merry described how, during the call, he could hear a colleague in the background chuckling and saying 'Not a chance' and 'No, no, no'.
'She didn't know what on earth to say. Every question I put to her, she'd go quiet and someone was whispering to her,' said Mr Merry. The call ended with the trainee stating the site in Trimingham was at risk from coastal erosion and no building would be allowed.
A £30,000 gamble on 'amenity land'
The self-employed locksmith and his wife, a landscape gardener, had already spent £30,000 purchasing the 0.7-acre plot. They had arranged the sale of their Nottingham bungalow and Mr Merry had begun winding down his business. Their confidence was based on deeds showing only 16ft of land had been lost since 1997, and official documents suggesting the leading edge of their plot—65ft from the cliff face—would not be at risk until 2065.
They had seen other properties, including a brick-built house, much closer to the edge. Their plan was to live in a static caravan and operate five tent pitches with toilet and shower facilities. However, they were unaware of a 'blanket ban on new developments' in the area due to erosion.
Facing an uncertain future in a caravan
The couple now face completing the sale of their home next month with nowhere to go, expecting to live in a touring caravan while they explore their limited options. In a further blow, local district councillor Angie Fitch-Tillett told Mr Merry he 'should have done his research first' and had bought land only good for 'grazing goats'.
The council spokesman stated that erosion is not always flagged during sales, but should be considered 'material information'. The estate agent, Watsons, which sold the land marked as 'amenity land', has offered to try to help get their money back. Mr Merry has already spent around £5,000 on fees and a planning consultant who advised not to 'hold out any hopes'.
The case highlights wider issues on the rapidly eroding Norfolk coast, where the council recently told a government inquiry that prospective buyers must make 'informed decisions' as agents are not required to declare erosion risks.
