Longer-term living on East Lindsey’s coastal caravan sites has increased over the last ten to fifteen years, partly in response to the rising standards of static caravans, though planning conditions mean that it is still not possible to live all-year-round on most sites. There is little hard evidence that these rules are systematically flouted.

However, most of this population goes unrecorded. Figures from the Census and the government’s mid-year population estimates miss the majority of caravan residents. These omissions matter because population figures drive funding formulas, particularly for grants to the district and county councils. The Council Tax register and the Electoral Register are also likely to miss most caravan residents.

The survey, which involved face-to-face interviews with 374 households across 12 sites, shows the longer-term residents to be a mostly older group. The majority have moved into the area from the coast’s traditional catchment areas in the Midlands and Yorkshire. Most have opted for a caravan for very positive reasons, such as a preference for the lifestyle and the local environment. Living in a caravan is a ‘second-best’ option for only a few.

Caravans on the Lincolnshire Coast (PDF)