The Brighton Caravan Park has been sold and the nearly 20 people who live there have until the middle of February to find a new home.
It is not yet clear what is in store for the 1ha property in the centre of the beachside town south of Dunedin.
Brighton Caravan Park owner Antony Burtenshaw said he sold the caravan park "as a caravan park" and could not comment on its future use.
He said the present residents were required to leave due to the nature of the contract "and he could not talk about it".
But he said he did care about what happened to them.
"They’ve become sort of part of the family," he said. "A lot of them have been there a long time. I do wish them all the best."
Mr Burtenshaw was unsure of his own plans but said he would like to stay in the Brighton area. He had never met the buyers and could not name them.
The agency’s website said the asking price for the Brighton Rd property was $1.7 million.
The camping ground and long-term rental accommodation property had 24 caravans and cabins as well as amenity buildings and facilities, and a modern four-bedroom house with a five-car garage, it said.
Residents approached by the Otago Daily Times yesterday expressed a mixture of shock, sadness and acceptance.
They knew the caravan park had been for sale for some time but remained surprised by news they had three months to find new accommodation.
The park’s longest resident at 26 years, Myrna Agate, was not happy about being told to leave, but accepted she could not do anything about it.
She had serious mobility issues and did not know where she would go.
"I’ll miss hearing the sea roaring at night," she said.
Retired hospital social worker Allan Philpot said, as a single pensioner, he would likely look to social housing.
He held no ill will towards Mr Burtenshaw, who on Sunday hand-delivered the notices informing residents they were required to vacate.
Several residents and other members of the Brighton community said they understood the new owner planned to provide worker accommodation.
They believed the buyer was connected to the new Dunedin hospital build.
