Phil Merry and Amy Parkinson sold their Nottingham bungalow to buy a £30,000 clifftop plot in Trimingham, Norfolk, dreaming of opening a coastal campsite. Now they're living in a touring caravan after North Norfolk District Council rejected their plans due to coastal erosion risks – and they allege a planning officer's colleague laughed at their application during a phone call.
The 42-year-old locksmith and his wife, a landscape gardener, paid £50 for a planning inquiry call last month. Merry told the Daily Mail what happened: «I could hear someone in the background laughing and saying "Not a chance" and "No, no, no".» He said the trainee planning officer appeared uncertain, with someone «whispering to her» before delivering the rejection.
The couple had purchased the 0.7-acre plot with confidence. Deeds showed only 16ft of land lost to the sea since 1997, and official documents indicated erosion risk only by 2065. They planned a static caravan for living, five tent pitches, and access to toilet and shower facilities. But the council informed them the site «was at risk of falling or coastal erosion and they're not going to allow any building».
Financial Impact
The rejection has left the couple facing significant losses. The council demanded approximately £6,000 for five different surveys. Merry has already spent around £5,000 on fees and costs. Their Nottingham home sale completes next month, leaving them temporarily in a touring caravan.
«I've been torn to shreds. That was going to be our escape. It's totally blown our plans,» Merry told the Daily Mail. «We have bought a pig in a poke but it was meant to be our little slice of heaven.»
Conflicting Advice
Local district councillor Angie Fitch-Tillet delivered blunt news when Merry contacted her. She told him he «should have done his research» and had «bought a piece of land that is only good for grazing goats». The councillor later acknowledged being «a little blunt» but said she aimed to convey the reality of his situation.
The couple maintains they were unaware of a blanket ban on new developments in the area. Watsons, the estate agents who sold the land as "amenity land," offered to «do their best to get our money back», according to Merry. A planning consultant he hired warned him: «Don't hold out any hopes.»
Erosion Context
The north Norfolk coast faces severe erosion challenges. A district council spokesman told the Mail: «This part of the north Norfolk Coast has been eroding for many thousands of years due to the action of the sea and impact of groundwater.» The council noted that erosion is not always identified in sales particulars or during conveyancing.
The spokesman said the council believes coastal erosion is «material information» that should be included when properties are advertised for sale. «If a property owner believes they have been mis-sold, there are routes for this to be considered further,» the spokesman added.
The erosion crisis recently forced evacuations of 14 clifftop homes in nearby Hemsby as Storm Goretti threatened the area. Hemsby has lost 34 homes to the North Sea since 2013, highlighting the ongoing challenge facing Norfolk's vulnerable coastline.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
