SCORES of retired couples who downsized to live on a caravan park could be left homeless for up to three months every winter.

The group of over-fifties claim they were sold up to £200,000 chalets overlooking the River Crouch at Hayes Farm Caravan Park, Burnham Road, Wickford, as permanent homes.

They claim they were told they could live there all year, something owner Leisure Parks Real Estate, denies.

Chelmsford Council has since said they must move off for between two and three months each year, because the park is licensed as a holiday camp.

Occupants are now locked in a potentially costly legal battle.

Ninety nine appeals have been lodged, with a public inquiry set for July 26.

Residents would not be named for fear of making enemies of the firm, but one man in his sixties said: “We were told there was no problem living here all year.

“People even sold their houses. You wouldn’t give up your house for a holiday home.

“The penny dropped when we’d sold our home and moved into the park, but we’d not got the paperwork.

“When we did get the contract it said about the restrictions.”

Another middle-aged man added: “We would be kidding ourselves if we said we hadn’t been misled.

“The owners made it clear they can enforce the limits and we would have to move out in winter.”

Several of the residents sold their houses to Leisure Parks Real Estate Limited, which re-sells them, in return for a chalet and cash lump sum.

Ray Ride, Tory councillor for Runwell and Rettendon, has received complaints that residents were misled.

He said: “I cannot go into anything which may compromise the situation. Residents, the park owner and council are aware of what we are doing to reach a satisfactory solution to all.”

Leisure Parks bought the park for £5million in November 2007 before replacing many standard mobile homes with plush chalets.

The park is licensed from March to November 30 for homes near the river, with others March to December 31. No one at the site is charged council tax.

A Chelmsford Council spokesman said: “We began investigating this site following complaints it was being marketed and occupied on a year-round basis.”

He said chalets were “cleverly” marketed to give a “misleading perspective”, with adverts stating the ten-month restriction, but adding it should not be an obstacle due to a planning application.

The last application for permanent occupation was in 2004 and refused, due to concerns over flooding and impacts on wintering birds.

Do you live at Hayes Farm? Call Jon Austin in confidence, on 01268 469304 or e-mail jon.austin@nqe.com

THE boss of Leisure Parks Real Estate has denied his firm mis-sold any properties and blamed residents for the legal battle.

Maurice Sines, 48, also known as Fred, said it was spelt out “110 per cent” to buyers that Hayes Farm was a holiday park.

He argued that people knowingly sold main homes in exchange for holiday homes, then refused to move off, prompting the council to take action.

He said: “It is a ten-month licence. It is a second home, we sell lodges. That is the licence on the office wall. We tell people they can’t live there.”

He denied any delays in purchasers getting their paperwork.

He said: “Everyone got their agreements, a contract stating ten months. That is the reason why they are going to appeal to try to upgrade it.

“It is not down to us. We tell everyone they must go. The council tells us and we tell them, but if they won’t, you can’t go and put a gun to their head and tell them to come out.”

He said by buying on a holiday park, homes were at least £100,000 cheaper than if on a permanent park.

He added: “The homes are £100,000 cheaper and it is good for them if they can live there all year. But all they are doing is trying to get something they haven’t bought.

“Good luck to them, but the residents are doing this, not us.”

He said only residents would benefit if they won the appeal, as his company charges a set annual ground rent and it would not increase even if a permanent licence was granted.