A smart new site map has been unveiled at Buckingham Orchard park home but how long it will stay there is anyone's guess – the site owner has threatened to have it dismantled.

The sign has been erected at a cost of £250 by Buckingham Orchard Residents' and Community Association and was unveiled by Mel Stride, Conservative parliamentary prospective candidate for Central Devon, on Tuesday.

At the unveiling ceremony, association chairman Neil Bissett said: 'We fought long and hard for this sign. Some of the members weren't too happy about paying for it. I did send the bill to Mr Small with the words 'for your consideration'. I didn't demand the money and didn't get a vey nice letter back.'

The association received written permission from the site owner Jeff Small last October. But last month, Mr Small wrote claiming they had breached site conditions because they did not have permission from him.

His letter of May 29 said: 'If you insist on trying to recover these monies, I will get Derek to dismantle the sign and return it to you as it is of no benefit to me.'

BORCA was set up last year to fight for improvements in the poor standards of roads, paths, lighting, walls and infrastructure at the park home in Chudleigh Knighton.

But the owner's attitude towards the association was made clear in his letter which continued: 'I would like to take this opportunity to remind you of your position and that of BORCA. As far as I am concerned you are a body formed to keep you happy and quiet, playing your silly games. At the end of the day, my wife and I are the owners of the park and you pay me rent. You are not bound to stay here. If you feel so strongly about the condition of the park, perhaps it would be a good idea to market your property and leave us to live in peace.'

Speaking to The Advertiser, Mr Small said he would not remove the sign, but neither would he pay for it. He claimed that BORCA was a consortium of people 'who are not actually living on the park, because they haven't enough members.

'I've got good working relationships with residents' associations on other sites but this BORCA is only interested in trifles. They want roads repaired; I agree it's very important. If they want to spend £250 they've got to get their priorities right.'

Resident John Gilmour, 75, is suing over the condition his home and garden was left in after his home was moved three years ago, in order to widen the road. Five years after moving to Buckingham Orchard, Sheila and George Jackson are still waiting for an electricity pole which stands inches from their side wall to be removed.

'Nothing has changed,' said Mrs Jackson, 77.

'We are also withholding £30 a month because he hasn't supplied the mains gas that he promised within 12 months of our moving here. It's compensation because bottled gas is dearer than mains gas.'

Mr Small blamed the delay on the recession.

'They haven't paid any rent for the last three years. There is going to be a court case on this,' Mr Small said.

BORCA is also in dispute with Mr Small over the way annual pitch fee increases, based on the retail price index, are calculated.

While there, Mr Stride took the opportunity to inspect the site. He told The Advertiser: 'I am extremely disappointed that as usual there remain a number of, in my opinion, serious breaches of the site licence and health and safety issues which need to be properly dealt with.

'I find it extraordinary that in the first instance Mr Small should grant permission for this sign and then subsequently deny that any such consent has been provided and threaten the residents with its removal.'