Two Crawley homes lined up for Gypsies - Sussex

From the Crawley News

TWO sites in the town have been earmarked as suitable candidates for a permanent home for Gypsies and Travellers.

The sites, now up for public debate, are located on land at Buchan Park Kennels and an area north of Langley Walk.

Whichever location is chosen would accommodate pitches for ten caravans.

Brenda Smith, a borough councillor for Langley Green, which is home to the Langley Walk site, accepts a plot has to be found somewhere in the town.

She explained: "The Government has said without making provisions for Travellers we won't be able to complete the Local Plan so it's being driven by the process but, having said that, if a site could be found that would satisfy everyone I'm happy to accept that."

Cllr Smith added that there are a lot of Traveller families already settled in Crawley. She said: "There's no reason why that can't happen, no reason why they can't be integrated into the community if the site is right and it satisfies both communities, but it has to be right.

"I sincerely hope residents take the time to look at the proposals. It's quite close to residential areas and I know from the travelling community they don't particularly like that as it's hassle for them.

"They just want to settle and are not looking for confrontation. I urge the public to get involved with the process; there's no point moaning down the pub about it to your mates – if you are not happy with it, just say so."

Alan Quirk, a borough councillor for Broadfield South, is not sure whether he is keen about the prospect of the Broadfield site being chosen.

He said: "When I was elected there was a list of sites and I was very much against them because of the problems (associated with Travellers) and that hasn't really changed."

The area in Broadfield up for consideration is not close to residential homes but Travellers would have to negotiate a steep ramp to get into the site.

Cllr Quirk added: "I can't see that Travellers will want to live in such an isolated place and I'm not convinced they are going to get up the ramp, especially if they have caravans."

He did, however, point out that the Travellers using whichever site is chosen could cause absolutely no trouble.

"Gypsies and Travellers have settled in areas of Crawley and you wouldn't know the difference," he said.

"I am keeping an open mind about it but at the moment 51 per cent of me says no and 49 per cent says yes."