A GIPSY caravan park near Wellington has been in breach of planning conditions for so long that it was now immune from enforcement action, planners have been told.

Five of 10 mobile homes at Maidendown Caravan Park, off the A38 between Burlescombe and Culmstock, were never used by ‘bona fide gipsies’.

The site was given planning permission in 2007 by Mid Devon District Council (MDDC) to provide homes for gipsies, which today would be taken to include those known as ‘travellers’.

The council agreed the retention of five mobile homes and provision of five permanent pitches and three transit pitches and hardstanding.

But planning consultant Jonathan Clarke, of XL Planning Ltd, Cullompton, said the evidence showed tenants of some of the homes were not gipsies or travellers.

Mr Clarke said the site owner had now submitted a planning application to establish the lawful use of the five caravans because the breach of conditions had gone on for more than 10 years.

He said it meant the time for enforcement action by the council had expired, with the most recent tenant passing the 10-year immunity point in September, 2024.

Mr Clarke said there had been no attempt to conceal the unauthorised use of the caravans, as evidenced by the fact residential council tax had been paid by the tenants throughout the 10 years.

Culmstock parish councillors considered the application at their meeting in December and decided not to comment on it.

MDDC has set a target date of January 23 to determine the application.