Caravanner evicted from home
Richard Sharp built his residence from recycled wood - and has been living there for six years
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Thursday, 10, Dec 2009 03:24
A man who lived in a caravan and wooden home he built for himself on council land in Hampshire has been evicted.
Handyman Richard Sharp built the residence from recycled wood and has been living at the site for around six years, the Hampshire Chronicle revealed.
However, after complaints from Winchester City Council, he has twice been removed from the area.
The newspaper revealed that local residents are upset that the 59-year-old is being "harassed" as he has become a much-loved member of the community.
Mr Sharp constructs various products from recycled wood, selling them on to locals to scrape a living.
He explained that he composts his waste and uses water from a nearby farm for washing and drinking.
Since being removed from the caravan and shed, the site has been vandalised, with rubbish being discarded on it - something Mr Sharp claimed never happened when he lived there.
The council explained it has a duty to enforce planning laws and while it has considered offering the handyman subsidised accommodation, he stated he does not see why the taxpayer should have to subsidise him when he can live in his old home without them doing so.
Meanwhile, Pencelli Castle Caravan Park in Wales has won an award for being family-friendly, BBC News revealed.