From the Maidenhead Advertiser
A town planner has criticised the council for failing to deliver its quota of Traveller sites.
Maurice McCann has lodged an appeal against the Royal Borough's decision to refuse the application for a caravan site for eight Traveller families off Forest Green Road.
It rejected the plans on April 9, 2013, following Bray Parish Council's recommendation that they were refused.
Philip Brown, who is a chartered town planner, spoke at the third day of a public inquiry into the decision.
He is representing Mr McCann.
He said the Royal Borough has been unable to demonstrate it can provide Traveller sites, which he says contradicts the Housing Act of 2004 and Equality Act of 2010.
The acts require councils to include the needs of Travellers in its housing plans.
He added that the Travellers understand they have right of way to the site, something which farmer William Emmet disputes. Mr Emmet owns land adjacent to the potential site, including access roads.
Mr Brown said: "The previous owner [of the Traveller site land] had access. Access was not an issue prior to the owner being aware that the site was bought by gypsies. The padlocks and gates only came in after the land was bought by Travellers."
He described the site as 'small' and unlikely to 'dominate' neighbouring Holyport or Fifield as it has clear boundaries.
Mr Brown, who specialises in representing Travellers in planning disputes, added the site can be connected to the electricity source, and pointed out that the Borough Local Plan shows some greenbelt development to be inevitable.
The inquiry, which is taking place at Windsor Racecourse, is due to finish today, although the planning inspector may not make a decision for a few weeks.
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