Councillor to help Ashington locals in eviction plight

Local member of the district council Roger Arthur (UKIP) said he was ‘concerned’ after learning that an eviction notice was served to more than 30 residents in Luckista Park in Ashington, leaving them just a month to find a new home.

The site, located just of Billinghurst Road in Ashington, is owned by Frankham Real Estates Ltd, based in Barnet, and provides mobile homes for many families with children and their pets.

A group of residents told the County Times that the unexpected news of their eviction has been ‘devastating’ and a ‘nightmare’ as they struggle to find new accommodation.

Mr Arthur is now in touch with the parish and district council to try and extend the eviction notice to provide residents with more time to arrange alternative homes.

He said: “Last week’s County Times drew attention to the plight of around 30 residents, who are due to be evicted from Luckista. Needless to say, I was concerned.

“I have thus been liaising with the Ashington parish council chairman and officers in Horsham, to see if more time might be allowed for the landlord to comply with Horsham District Council’s (HDC) enforcement notice.

“HDC does have a statutory duty to house those who become homeless and it must clearly be in the council’s interest to help families to continue living independently.

“On the face of it, I see no reason why the notice period should not be extended, to give those families more breathing space.”

A representative at Ashington Parish Council said: “The holiday caravans were never intended for permanent occupation and the landlord should have explained this to tenants prior to them moving in.

“However, the parish council is disappointed that tenants have been given such little time by the landlord to find themselves alternative accommodation, and are trying to ascertain the facts behind the eviction, with a view to possibly securing a short extension of the notices.

“The parish council has also been in dialogue with HDC to see what support may be possible for tenants affected in the event that the eviction notices are enforced by the landlord.”

The residents have been given one month until August 26 to move out.

The County Times has attempted to make contact with Frankham Real Estates Ltd, but is yet to speak with a representative.