Families face homelessness amid caravan park closure

Up to 100 low-income residents of a caravan park in Greystones, Co Wicklow, face homelessness, having been given notice to quit by their landlord.

Fairfield Park, which has been open since 1973, is to close next year. Its owner Haven Homes says the decision is made with "great sadness" but can "no longer be postponed".

Down a narrow lane off New Road, and just back from the Bray-Greystones cliff walk, Fairfield Park appears on arrival to be a well-maintained holiday-home park.

Howeve, the 52 mobile homes, chalets and caravans are homes to families with children, and elderly people, some of whom have lived there for up to 30 years. Each household pays about €600 a month in rent.

On August 8th they received a letter from Bill Fenelon, director of Haven Homes, telling them, “due to both economic and financial circumstances and after much analysis . . . I have agonisingly concluded that Fairfield Park will cease to operate and close down.

“This has proven to be a most difficult decision, a decision that can no longer be postponed.

Changes in legislation

“This is also primarily due to the ever-increasing changes in legislation governing landlords’ obligations to their tenants . . . On the 31st August 2017 Fairfield Park will close down.”

Among those who got the letter are Conal O'Driscoll, his partner Paulina Urbanska and their daughter Lily (3), who have lived in Fairfield Park for three years.

They pay €140 a week and live in a cramped two-bed mobile home in poor condition.

It is not insulated, mould is visible on bedroom walls and around windows, and the white paint is flaking from the kitchen ceiling which feels like card when pressed.

“In the winter,” says Paulina, “I cannot even call it cold. I am lying in bed with Lily and you can see our breath.

“There are holes in the walls and floors and spiders and woodlice get in on the kitchen counter.” Despite the problems, it is home.

“We have a year’s notice, but it is worrying,” says Conal. A cook in a local chip-shop, he says they couldn’t afford anything currently available in the area. “The cheapest two-bedroom place we’ve seen on Daft is €1,350.”

Joel Clarke lives with his two sons, aged five and three, in a mobile home, paying €155 a week rent.

He gets lone-parent allowance of €247 a week and “help from the Vincent de Paul”.

There is little storage, mould on walls, a hole in the floor patched with a metal “Stop” sign. In the winter it can get so cold, he says, “the children cry . . . they can’t get warm”.

He is on Wicklow County Council’s housing list, but has been told it will be “at least three years” before being considered for housing.

He looked at the private rental market “and there is nothing, nothing, I could afford out there. I could stay with friends for a bit, but we’d be three sharing a room. That couldn’t go on for long”.

Renovate

Local People Before Profit activist

Jacqui Johnston

is working with the residents. She says the council should purchase the land and renovate the homes.

“It is unacceptable that this many people, at the height of the worst housing crisis in the history of the State, could be left to deal with this on their own.”

Abridged accounts show Haven Homes had accumulated profits of €150,810 last year, a fall from €170,075 in 2014.

Mr Fenelon did not return contacts from The Irish Times yesterday.

Wicklow County Council said it had recently become aware of the situation at Fairfield Park and would monitor developments.

"It is council policy to seek to identify suitable sites throughout the county for social and affordable housing and in this regard Wicklow County Council examines all potential opportunities as they arise," it said.