Old Windsor Travellers' site inquiry: 'Site could make flooding threat worse' - Berkshire

From the Windsor Express

The constant flooding threat facing villagers in Old Windsor could be made worse by plans for a Travellers' caravan site.

That was the warning from Old Windsor Parish Council chairman Cllr Jane Dawson, when she addressed a public inquiry yesterday.

The inquiry started on Tuesday at Windsor Racecourse and is expected to last until the end of tomorrow. Fred Sines has appealed against the Royal Borough's refusal to allow him to put five Traveller homes on land at Newtonside Orchard in Burfield Road (pictured).

The inspector at the inquiry Clive Kirkbride is also due to consider an enforcement order issued by the Royal Borough against Maurice Sines, calling for the removal of caravans, mobile homes, motor homes and tents already on the site.

The final decision will be made by the Secretary of State after receiving Mr Kirkbride's report.

Cllr Dawson told the inquiry yesterday that there could be an increased risk of flooding if the caravans were allowed.

She told the Express: "A lot of water comes from water courses which feed into the Burfield stream just behind the site. Kingsbury Drive was flooded in 2003 to 2004 when the stream became obstructed. There are also concerns about standing water that drains into the Burfield ditch becoming polluted."

The public battle between the Sines family and the Royal Borough got off to an irritable start on Tuesday, as things got bogged down in arguments between Alan Masters representing Mr Sines and Gary Grant for the Royal Borough.

Mr Masters described the enforcement notice as 'ridiculous', claiming that it inaccurately described the site as scrubland and was invalid because it had not been distributed to people who actually lived on the site.

He described it as an 'appallingly drafted document'.

But Mr Grant accused Mr Masters of 'pettifogging' objections.