Gypsy site rejected at heated planning meeting - Berkshire

From the Maidenhead Advertiser

An angry Gypsy stormed out of a planning meeting in Maidenhead last night, minutes before his application to build a caravan site in Fifield was thrown out by Royal Borough councillors.

Maurice McCann and others had asked permission to transform greenbelt land off Forest Green Road into a site suitable for eight Gypsy families with two caravans each, as well as amenity buildings.

But things became heated at the Maidenhead development control panel meeting and Mr McCann left the room without waiting to hear the decision.

The panel heard first from a number of speakers against the plans, including Grenville Annetts, chairman of the Oakley Green, Fifield and District Community Association.

He told them the community 'strongly objects' to the application and urged them to judge it on its merits.

"Have confidence and continue with your efforts to identify suitable Traveller sites so we don't keep coming back here in the future," he said. "Put your residents first."

It then heard from Mr McCann, who claimed the council had led him to believe he would be able to use the site.

"I want to be settled and I want to be treated like a human being," he said.

"I might be a Gypsy but I'm no different from anyone else in this room."

The debate moved on and when it appeared the panel was set to refuse the application Mr McCann stood up and began shouting.

He declared he wasn't being treated fairly and walked out of the council chamber at Maidenhead Town Hall.

The panel then turned down the application, which had been recommended for refusal by Bray Parish Council.