Selling a Static Caravan Near Sizewell C: What East Suffolk Owners Should Know

Sizewell C, the new two reactor nuclear power station being built next to Sizewell B near Leiston, is now a very visible part of life on the East Suffolk coast. For anyone who owns a static caravan or holiday lodge in the area, the questions are practical: what is happening to nearby parks, and what are the options if you decide to sell? This guide sets out what official sources and recent reporting say, then walks through the selling routes calmly.

Sizewell C: the official timeline

Dates and figures below come from official sources. Where they differ, we say so.

• Development consent: The Secretary of State granted the Development Consent Order on 20 July 2022 (GOV.UK; The Sizewell C (Nuclear Generating Station) Order 2022, in force from 11 August 2022).
• Early works: Sizewell C's own sustainability document lists "September 2022 Start of Early Works".
• Final investment decision: The Energy Secretary "signed the final investment decision for Sizewell C" on 22 July 2025, with a target construction cost of "around £38 billion (2024 prices)" (DESNZ, GOV.UK, 22 July 2025).
• Construction duration: The project's Environmental Statement says construction "is likely to be completed approximately nine to twelve years" after consent. EDF's 2020 project update said Sizewell C "will take 9-12 years to build".
• First power or operation: Sizewell C Ltd's Annual Report 2025-26 says it is on track "to become operational by the mid-to-late 2030s", the same range given in the government's summary business case. The National Audit Office (May 2026) says it "is expected to start producing electricity from 2038", and reports a project baseline of fully operational by July 2039.
• Peak workforce: Sizewell C says "Around 8,000 (7,900) people will work on site during peak construction" (Annual Report 2025-26). The workforce profile in the planning documents places the overall peak "during year seven". The 2020 EDF update expected peak years "around 2027-28", but that assumed construction starting in 2022, so treat it as an early planning estimate rather than a current date. The GOV.UK announcement separately refers to "10,000 jobs at peak construction", a wider jobs figure rather than people on site.

As reported in July 2026, Sizewell C says there are "well over 2,000 people on site each day". Two park and ride sites have opened, at Darsham and near Wickham Market.

What nearby parks are experiencing

Cakes and Ale, Theberton

The clearest reporting so far concerns Cakes and Ale Holiday Park, near Leiston, owned by Harrison Leisure Group. The BBC reported in March 2026 that the park had begun letting accommodation to Sizewell C contractors, and that some former owners were unhappy.

Dennis Wilson told the BBC he bought his lodge for about £28,000 and sold it back to the park for £2,250 (as reported March 2026). He said the park "was a real gem in Suffolk, but it has now been destroyed." Greg Dumbrell said he paid nearly £100,000, struggled to sell privately and sold to the park for less than £30,000: "This was my pension pot."

The park gave its side. It said it received 200 pitch fees of more than £5,000 each in 2025 but only 115 in 2026, had not sold a caravan in a year, and had to "embrace the changes or allow our business to decline" (as reported March 2026). Sizewell C said the park "is not part of our accommodation plans, and we have no control over the decisions made by its owners."

In August 2026 the BBC reported a planning application to East Suffolk Council for 109 lodges housing four workers each, repurposing 193 static caravans for up to two workers each, and more parking: up to 670 workers in total. Owner Louise Williams said "it has destroyed the whole nature of the park". Michael North of Harrison Leisure Group said Sizewell had "not created some financial windfall", that owners had fallen from 200 to 60 to 70, and that the only alternative was "dramatically increasing" site fees. He added that complaints to the council "ultimately required us to submit a planning application" (as reported August 2026). We have not found a published decision on the application.

Pontins Pakefield

Near Lowestoft, the former Pontins Pakefield site has been converted for worker use, with the BBC reporting space for more than 500 workers (as reported March 2026). In August 2026 the BBC reported a further bid for 340 caravan pitches for 10 to 15 years, after which the site would revert to tourism. A council officer recommended approval; Lowestoft Town Council had recommended refusal. We have not found the final decision.

The wider picture

It is important not to read one park's experience as the whole coast. Sizewell C funds a £12m Tourism Fund under its legal agreement with the councils. East Suffolk's summary of research from 2024 to 2026 says the data suggests "no significant impact on visitor numbers so far", while noting that "perception and awareness are key". We found no reported impacts at other named parks.

Can I sell my static near Sizewell?

Yes, in principle. Selling depends on your licence agreement and park rules rather than on the construction project. Some agreements let you sell on the pitch, some give the park a right to buy first, and some require approval of any buyer. Read your agreement before you start, and ask the park office to confirm the process in writing.

What if the park only offers a low buy-back?

A buy-back or part exchange offer is one option, not the only one. Broadly, the routes are:

• Private or on-park sale: You find a buyer and the caravan stays on the pitch. This can achieve more but depends on buyer demand and park approval.
• Park buy-back or part exchange: Usually simple and quick, but the figure reflects what the park can resell it for.
• Sale to a trader or for cash off-site: The caravan is collected and removed. Removal and site access depend on the park rules, so check these first.

Getting more than one figure helps you judge an offer. Our guide to cash buyer vs private sale vs park sale compares these in more detail.

What is it worth?

Value depends on the make, model, age, size, condition, and whether it can stay on its pitch. Location matters too, and nobody can yet say how Sizewell C will affect values across the area. The only sourced figures come from one park, so we would not apply them elsewhere. A valuation based on your own caravan is the sensible starting point.

Can it stay on the park?

Possibly. If your licence allows a sale on the pitch and the park approves the buyer, it may stay. Some parks have age limits for caravans on their pitches. Our article on selling a static caravan with a pitch licence explains what to look for.

Will the park charge commission?

A park may charge commission on a sale made on the pitch, where the licence agreement allows it. Rates vary, so check your paperwork. Outstanding site fees may also need settling, as explained in how site fees affect selling your static caravan.

What if it is old?

An older caravan that a park no longer wants on its pitch may still have value off-site, for example for private use or through export. Age alone does not mean it is worthless.

How Static Caravan Buyer can help

If you are thinking of selling, Static Caravan Buyer offers a straightforward alternative:

• Free, no-obligation valuation. Find out what we can offer before you decide anything.
• No commission. SCB charges no commission when it buys your caravan.
• Help with paperwork. We can help you with the park paperwork involved in a sale.
• Secure payment. Payment is made on collection day before the caravan is loaded.
• Prompt response. We aim to contact you within 24 hours and to make an offer within 48 hours after contact.

We will always give you a fair, honest offer based on your caravan. We cannot buy every caravan, and any offer depends on its details and the park's rules on removal, but a valuation costs nothing.

Get a free valuation

To talk it through, call us free on 0800 644 5000, visit Static Caravan Buyer, or request a free static caravan valuation online.

This article covers static caravans and holiday lodges on holiday parks. Residential park homes are not covered.