SMALLHOLDER Frank Harris has won the right to live legally in a mobile home after Fenland Council forgot about him for the past 10 years.

He’s now been able to claim, and be given, a certificate of lawful use which means he can continue to live and work the three and a half acres at Leverington he bought in 1995.

The council’s legal department says it has reviewed the case and considers that sufficient evidence has been provided to allow the certificate to be issued since “on the balance of probabilities” the caravan has been there for ten years.

Leverington Parish Council confirmed too that Mr Harris had used a mobile home on his land in Mill Lane for at least ten years.

A report produced by Fenland planning department says that Mr Harris moved onto the site in 1995 and with a caravan of which they were aware.

Five years later the council approved a three bed bungalow on the land but this was only built to slab level and is still “in situ” says the report.

Planning consent for a mobile home expired on May 25, 2001 but no enforcement action was ever taken.

Agents for Mr Harris say he looks after about 20 cattle there and works in nursery, agricultural contracting, log harvesting as well as live stock.

They say Mr Harris is going through a family settlement and needs the certificate of lawful use “to have confidence that he can still carry on his business.”

Rates have been paid on the site and although a second caravan has appeared he will now remove this.