School caretaker refused permission to live in holiday home

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 16 Oct, 06:32 · Archive

West Norfolk Council has refused Melanie Green permission to live year-round in her holiday home to avoid a 66-mile commute.

Melanie Green, caretaker at Snettisham Primary School, applied to extend occupancy of her holiday home on Shepherd's Port from its current six-month limit (April to September) to the full year. West Norfolk Council rejected the application, citing flood risk concerns.

The council said stays in coastal properties were restricted during periods of increased flood risk "to avoid placing people in vulnerable locations when the likelihood and consequences of coastal flooding are greater". It stated that allowing extended occupancy would "undermine this strategic approach and increase the number of people potentially exposed to flood risk, particularly during autumn and winter months".

Green's main residence is in Holbeach Clough, Lincolnshire. She told planning officers that her role requires her to work split shifts, opening the school at 6am and locking up at 6pm, while managing cleaning, safety checks and emergency keyholder call-outs. She said the current restriction forces her to make a gruelling 33-mile daily commute during winter, which she argued "severely compromises" her ability to respond to out-of-hours school emergencies.

How it is being reported

• School caretaker refused permission to live in holiday home to avoid 66-mile commuteSnettisham Primary School's caretaker has been refused permission to live in her holiday home all-year-round to spare her a 66-mile journey to work from Holbeach in the winter.Eastern Daily Press · 16 Oct, 06:00
• School caretaker refused permission to live in holiday home to avoid 66-mile commuteSnettisham Primary School's caretaker has been refused permission to live in her holiday home all-year-round to spare her a 66-mile journey to work from Holbeach in the winter.Norwich Evening News · 16 Oct, 06:00

In this story: Melanie Green · Snettisham Primary School · West Norfolk Council · Snettisham · Holbeach

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