Thundersley Travellers rubbish Dale Farm worries - Essex

From the Echo

TRAVELLERS went head-to-head with a council in a bid to stay on green belt land in Thundersley and provde it will be another Dale Farm.

Miles and Michael McCarthy took on Castle Point Council on Wednesday to fight their case for and against creating a three-pitch Traveller site on Janda Fields, in Fane Road, Thundersley.

The controversial application was unanimously rejected by the council’s development control committee last December, but could now be approved by Government’s Planning Inspectorate Simon Hand.

At Wednesday's planning inquiry the council argued the development, which would involve tearing down some of the existing buildings on the site, would have an adverse impact on the area.

Council officers and residents also expressed concerns that were the application granted it would create precedence for others to seek to develop on the borough’s green belt.

Robert Davis, from the council’s planning team, said: “I have had a number of calls since you moved onto the site from people saying they will do it on their land. We have already had an incident in Bassenthwaite Road.

“We are very concerned that people will take the view to putting more caravans on green belt and will be encouraged to do likewise.”

However, Alison Heine, arguing on behalf of the McCarthy’s, said the council has already set precedence by granting permission for several applications on green belt as part of their five year housing strategy.

She said: “I do sympathise that you have a very rural and green borough. But the council has enforcement powers to take action against people so I do not believe that precedence is a valid reason against the proposals just because you will have more work to do.

“The public are here today out to protect the green belt, but at the same time you are saying residents are telling you they will start developing on land because of what’s happening here. It raises the question how concerned people really are about the green belt.”

Questions were also raised about the true need for Traveller sites in the borough.

The council claims evidence from the Essex Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment, published in 2009, shows they only need to provide three pitches in the borough by 2013, two of which were provided by Orchard Place on the A127.

However, the appellants claim the authority is ignoring evidence from another policy, which was abolished, which stated 15 pitches were needed by 2011.

Alison Heine said there is an overwhelming shortage of Traveller sites across Essex, claiming she is currently dealing with applications for numerous Traveller sites in the county including Chelmsford, Epping and Brentwood.

Fears were also raised over the site becoming the boroughs own version of Dale Farm.

Michael McCarthy said: “You cannot paint us with the same brush. I can assure you Dale Farm is a completely different scenario to us.”

A final decision on the appeal is expected to be released in the next six months.