The site licence was not transferred from Mr George to the new owner, Haytop Country Park Ltd. The company submitted an application for a licence to operate as a residential caravan park in August 2018 but it was refused by Amber Valley Council. HCP appealed against the refusal in January 2019. The appeal was considered by the First-Tier Tribunal Property Chamber (Residential Property) following a site visit in March. In July their decision was published and appears in full on our Documents page. It is worth reading because it contains various important legal interpretations and considerations relating to the planning aspects covering the site.
The Tribunal ruled against AVBC and instructed that a licence should be issued, but gave the council considerable leeway with regard to conditions that might be attached to it. The council has not complied with the ruling but instead appealed the decision. So the case will now be heard by a different judge at the Higher Housing Tribunal and meanwhile the park remains unlicensed. That should mean that no more lodges should be used for accommodation, whether temporary or permanent. The status of the 3 or 4 lodges that have been occupied for months remains unclear and attempts to clarify that status with AVBC have been unsuccessful until now.