RESIDENTS in a hamlet in Cornwall say the expansion of accommodation at a holiday park is ruining their lives and they have questioned whether the placing of 60 static caravans has breached planning rules.

People living at Luney Barton, near the village of Hewas Water to the west of St Austell, believe the caravans have been placed on the wrong part of the 56-acre Meadow Lakes Holiday Park site owned by Acorn Parks.

The family-run park features self-catering lodges and caravans, plus amenities such as four fishing lakes, a heated outdoor swimming pool and play areas.

Residents have fought a long battle with Cornwall Council over their view that the static caravans have been wrongly placed.

They believe they should be moved to what they deem is the correct part of the site dating back to a 1978 approval and are concerned nothing is being enforced.

Luney Barton resident Lorraine Harvey, who, with husband Jeff, has led the fight on behalf of her neighbours, said of the static caravans: “They seemed to just appear – 44 got placed and then in January 2023 the diggers came back again, they took all the ancient hedgerows out on one side, took down some trees and put another 16 in.”

Ann Brian, who has lived in the hamlet for 29 years, said: “Before, it was just a field. People would come with touring caravans in the summer, but that’s not the same as having those properties sitting there. It has completely ruined this area – it was beautiful. They’ve destroyed it over there.”

Cornwall Council says investigations have taken place and the local authority’s view is that there is no breach of planning control.

Acorn Parks managing director Rachel Nation says that the business has fully engaged with the council during its investigations over the past two years and has done nothing wrong.