Battle to move Gypsies off green belt continues - Warwickshire

From the Leamington Spa Courier

The legal battle to evict Gypsies from green belt land will continue – despite it being forwarded to a list of potential sites for Travellers.

The Romani Gypsies have lived on land at Kites Nest Lane, Beausale, illegally for three years.

A High Court judge has ruled that they must leave the site between Kenilworth and Hatton if their appeal to stay is dismissed.

But the Gypsy family owner put it forward to the list compiled by Warwick District Council after its “call for sites” advertising to land owners in the area.

The Gypsies have lodged an appeal against Warwick District Council’s refusal to let them live there and it is expected to take place over four days from June 11.

If the appeal fails the High Court ruling means the families will have to leave the site within a month and restore it to its former condition within two months. Council development officer David Barber said: “Sites included within the options have come forward from a number sources.

“Kites Nest Lane was one of the sites that has been put forward as a result of this ‘call for sites’.

“In fairness to the landowners, we have taken the decision to include all the sites that were promoted in this way.

“This does not mean the council is supporting these sites and we will continue to make the case at the appeal that we believe the Kites Nest Lane site is not suitable.”

It is one of 20 potential sites put on the council list as part of its Local Plan.

The Government requires it to find 31 pitches for Gypsies and Travellers in the next 15 years and 25 of these must be by 2018.

One potential plot for eight pitches is near the Guide Dogs for the Blind breeding centre at Bishops Tachbrook, which has alarmed the charity because of the “serious risk” of cross infection to its dogs and pups.

Commenting on all the sites, Cllr Les Caborn (Con, Lapworth), lead councillor for the Local Plan said: “We know this is an emotive issue, but it is something we must address.

“By having identified sites we will be able to deal more effectively and quickly with illegal sites and encampments.”