By Mark Mackay

DEVASTATED pensioners face being thrown out of their Perthshire homes as their local authority fights to evict them.

Caught in a bitter wrangle between Perth and Kinross Council and developer Welch Homes, members of a retirement community have been left fearing for their future.

A long-established family firm, Welch Homes, pledges an idyllic environment for its customers so they can enjoy life to the full.

Elderly residents had been enjoying a relaxing lifestyle in Crieff until the council dropped the bombshell that permanent habitation is not allowed on the Park Village site.

The local authority claims the site is a caravan holiday park and has now served enforcement notices requiring home-owners to cease using the premises as their main residence within six months of the notice coming into effect on May 2.

With the breakdown of talks, Perth and Kinross Council said it had “no option” other than legal action.

Welch Homes maintain residents have consent and authority to occupy their homes throughout the year.

The developer plans to appeal the decision, taking the issue to the Scottish Executive.

Residents yesterday admitted they had been stunned by the council’s decision and the “draconian” tactics.

Far from seeking a battle, one resident said yesterday, “No one here wants a battle with the council. We just want to know what is going on.

“In our letters from the council we are told that they have harboured concerns about the site for over 12 months.

“If that is the case then why wait for all these additional properties to be built and all these people to move in and then why such a draconian step?

“If we are not allowed to live here permanently then why do we pay council tax and why have we been asked to register as voters?

“There are some rather ill and elderly residents here and most of us are here because of the peace and harmony we thought we would get.

“Instead there is now all this stress.”

The residents have paid anything from £77,000 to £120,000 for a home on the picturesque site, with work still under way on more properties.

All except one are living there permanently, having moved from as near as Perth and as far away as southern England.

Many have spent more money on gardens and fencing and have been delighted by how quickly the community has come together, with an active residents’ association already in place.

The resident added, “There are no rebels here at our age.

“At this stage all we want is information.

“We want to know what is going on and have things clarified.”

However, he added, “We don’t want to get into a battle, but if we have to, we will fight all the way.”

He said the people of Crieff have been extremely supportive and backed their efforts to remain in their homes.

Another resident added, “In their letters to us the council states that they can’t afford to lose self- catering holiday accommodation in this area and yet they are selling off caravan parks elsewhere, like Cleeve in Perth.

“It smacks of hypocrisy.”

Company head Cresswell Welch said the council is wrong and he will fight all the way.

He pledged residents will receive his “110% backing.”

“If the council wants to upset poor residents of 70 and 80 years old then I think they want to get a life,” he said yesterday.

“Perth and Kinross Council will be made to look foolish.

“They have no morals and no respect for the good-quality people who live here.”

The project’s architects said they had advised all residents they have consent and authority to occupy their homes throughout the year.

“A site’s occupancy is regulated by the terms of any permissions or authority from the council and by the terms of the site licence,” said a spokesman.

“Neither the certificate of lawfulness of use, nor the site license at Crieff, state any restrictions of use and we are currently preparing to lodge an appeal against the enforcement orders,” they added.

Perth and Kinross Council believes residents are in breach of the use restrictions on the former caravan site preventing anyone from using the accommodation as their sole place of residency.

A spokesman said discussions with the developer had left a number of issues unresolved, leaving it with no option but to take legal action.

“Perth and Kinross Council entered into discussions with agents for the land owner of the Turretbank Road caravan site in the summer of 2005,” he said.

“The council made known its concerns that the use of some of the tourist caravans as residential homes constituted an unauthorised change of use.

“Unfortunately these discussions were not resolved to the council’s satisfaction and the occupation of tourist caravans as residential homes continued.

“This has resulted in the council having to take enforcement action.

“This will be taken against the site owner, occupiers and interested parties.”

Enforcement officers wrote to each individual owner as a courtesy to advise them of the situation and its implications.

It was followed up with enforcement notices being served on all parties concerned, although occupiers do have the right to appeal the notice.

The spokesman added, “While the council appreciates that these circumstances will be upsetting to the occupiers on-site, the council has no option but to take action.”