A couple who bought a plot of land to build their dream campsite have been laughed at by their council, which firmly rejected their plans.
Phil Merry and Amy Parkinson, both 42, said they have been "torn to shreds" after their dream of opening a seaside campsite in Norfolk was crushed.
They sold their Nottingham bungalow and paid £30,000 for a 0.7-acre plot of land in Trimingham, a picturesque spot overlooking the North Sea.
Mr Merry, a locksmith, had already started winding down his business in anticipation of the move, while his wife works as a self-employed landscape gardener.
The couple wanted to live in a static caravan on the site and set up five tent pitches with toilet and shower facilities for visitors, but their dream was about to come crashing down.
During a phone call with North Norfolk District Council – which cost them a £50 fee – the couple received the news from a trainee planning officer.
Mr Merry claims the conversation was deeply upsetting, with the trainee seemingly unsure how to handle their questions.
"She didn't know what on earth to say. Every question I put to her, she'd go quiet, and someone was whispering to her," he said.
The couple bought this 0.7-acre piece of land 65 feet away from the cliff edge
|GOOGLE EARTH
He also claims he could even hear someone else in the background laughing and finding the situation amusing.
"I could hear someone in the background laughing and saying 'Not a chance' and 'No, no, no'," Mr Merry added.
The call ended with the trainee explaining the site faced coastal erosion risks and no building would be permitted.
"I've been torn to shreds. That was going to be our escape. It's totally blown our plans," he said.
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Trimingham and Norfolk have long been battling with its eroding coastline
|GETTY
The couple were not naive about the area's reputation for erosion – the sand and clay coastline is well known for its instability.
However, they had good reason to feel confident about getting the green light. Property deeds showed that just 16 feet of land had been lost to the sea since 1997.
Official documents also indicated the font of their plot – which sits 65 feet from the cliff face – wouldn't be at risk until 2065.
Waht is more, they had spotted other caravans and even a brick-built house positioned much closer to the cliff edge than their planned home and business would be.
The pair decided against spending hundreds of pounds on a planning application before completing the purchase, so they went ahead with buying the land first.
The couple now face the prospect of living in a caravan while they desperately try to work out their next steps.
Mr Merry also says that local district councillor Angie Fitch-Tillett did not mince her words when delivering the fateful news to the couple.
He claims she told him he "should have done his research first" and that he had "bought a piece of land that is only good for grazing goats".
Ms Fitch-Tillett accepted she was "a little blunt" but said she wanted to explain the reality of his predicament.
The couple had no idea there was a blanket ban on new developments in the area.
"We have bought a pig in a poke, but it was meant to be our little slice of heaven," Mr Merry said.
A council spokesman confirmed property owners who believe they've been mis-sold have routes available to pursue the matter further.
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