Calls for support of Bettws Gypsy site proposal

A ROMANY Gypsy living on a Newport estate where a proposed Travellers site could be built is calling on locals to support the plans. 17-year-old Margaret Hendry, who lives in a house instead of a traditional caravan, says Gypsies have as much right as everyone else to have a safe place to live. She is calling on people to join a her Facebook campaign group Say Yes to Bettws Gypsy Site. Her plea comes after the Argus revealed last week that Newport council proposes to create permanent and transit sites in the city - including one of on land known as Yew Tree Cottage, Bettws. Miss Hendry says she feels intimidated by locals who are opposing the plans and says she was warned not to attend a public meeting held this week for fear of a public backlash. Residents who attended the heated meeting fiercely opposed the plans with local councillor Noel Trigg declaring he would sooner lie in the road than allow a Travellers site created in his ward.

'We don't want another Dale Farm in Newent' - Gloucestershire

RESIDENTS are calling on council leaders to get tough on an unauthorised Travellers' site or risk having "another Dale Farm" on their hands. Pressure group Newent Residents Against Inappropriate Development (RAID) expects Forest of Dean District Council to act on a deadline of January 31 to return the Southend Lane site in Newent to its original state. ​Travellers' site in Newent Travellers' site in Newent Travellers moved in over the Whitsun Bank Holiday in May 2009, and lorryloads of stone were ferried through back lanes to the field they own off Culver Street. Late last year a government inspector gave them until January 2012 to quit the six-acre site. RAID chairman Mark Greening said if it is being lived on come the end of January, he does not want to see a situation similar to Dale Farm in Essex, where £18 million was spent over 10 years to get travellers off an unauthorised site. "We want this planning issue followed through," said Mr Greening. "We are not sure what is going to happen by January 31. "We have nothing against them, we never have. What we are concerned about is that the district council don't seem to have done much about it." Councillor Len Lawton (Con, Newent Central) said he and other members had been working hard to ensure sufficient authorised sites were available.

Travellers move on to derelict land in Wirral

A FAMILY of Travellers face being removed from an area of derelict land after Wirral Council started proceedings to evict them. There are currently four caravans on the land behind Birkenhead North train station and spokesman for the group, Tommy Johnson, said they had nowhere else to go. He said prior to arriving in Birkenhead they had been on land at sites in Liverpool, Crosby and Skelmersdale. Mr Johnson said they had been largely welcomed by local people “who pop down for a cup of tea and biscuit and chat” and added that one of their family was an elderly woman with a heart condition. He said they were aware the local authority was seeking to move them on but insisted: “We have no where to go. If the council can find us somewhere we will gladly go there.” Charlie Wright, who is their nearest neighbour, said he was glad to see the Travellers and added: “I’ve told them fill the fields with caravans. They are brilliant people, no trouble. “The local kids have been playing with their kids and I told them to bring other Travellers and fill the fields.”

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Tyson Fury: Reflections of a Gypsy fighter

You might argue with the PR guru Max Clifford when he says Tyson Fury is the next big thing in boxing, but there's no way you would fancy disputing it with the young man himself. Standing a tad short of 6ft 9in, weighing in at 18 stone, unbeaten in 16 contests and freshly installed as the British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion, the 23-year-old Mancunian not only looks the part but is beginning to live up to his highly marketable moniker. When celebrity beckons, Clifford is a handy man to have in your corner, and while he exercises caution ("You never know what's going to happen in boxing") he clearly believes the fists of Fury might one day bring at least a slice of the fame and fortune of another heavyweight who was once on his books – Muhammad Ali. "He's got fast hands, like Ali," says Clifford. "And he's a great talker. He knows how to sell tickets, how to play the game. He could be a huge star – in the ring and out. There are so many interesting aspects to him, not least the Gypsy thing."

Violence flares during Bettws Gypsy meeting

THERE were angry scenes at a public meeting in Newport last night as 150 locals gathered to voice their opposition to plans for a travellers' site in their area. Tensions were running high at Bettws Community Centre where local councillor Noel Trigg told locals he would sooner lie in the road than see a Gypsy site created in a field known as Yew Tree Cottage. He said: “It’s not coming here and if I have to lie across the road then I will.” Householders, who met after Newport council created a shortlist of suitable residential and transit sites for gipsies, said: “We will join you, we will join you.” A scuffle broke out and the police were called when a young woman approached the panel, and two local people were assaulted. A woman was later ejected from the meeting. The meeting was called after council officers chose five possible areas that also include land at Pound Hill, Marshfield, two sites at Pye Corner and one at Queensway Meadows, Nash. A panel of five locals including Kevin Whitehead, Leanne Davies and Tracy Collett, told those present 2,000 people had visited a dedicated Facebook site and a further 260 has signed an e-petition since the news emerged. Residents then voiced a number of concerns the main issue being transport access both to and from the site and to Bettws as a whole. One woman said: “It already takes nearly an hour to get out of Bettws and back in again because they keep extending the estate.” Other present wanted to know where the £2 million required to create the site would come from and one man called for a referendum for residents to properly have their say. Opposition is also growing in Nash where locals have formed an action group to oppose the proposals. Nash community councillor Tony Ducroq said local people were “dismayed” at the news three sites in their area were being considered and a public meeting was being planned.

Cookley residents fear Gypsy site would devalue homes - Kidderminster

OBJECTORS to a Gypsy site proposed in Cookley have spoken of their fears of losing 30 per cent of the value of their homes if plans go ahead. Other concerns raised at a public meeting at Cookley Village Hall included the dangers the site posed for children and the over-subscription of the school and surgery. Nearly 200 people turned out to Wyre Forest District Council’s consultation meeting, led by Mike Parker, the council’s director of planning and regulatory services. Gill Hill, spokeswoman for the Cookley action group said: “The council’s proposal blights the value of our properties for the next 10 to 12 years, not just this year. The devaluation of our houses can amount to up to 30 per cent of the value. For example, on a £200,000 house this would be a £60,000 loss.” Ms Hill described the site as having a large number of empty dilapidated 1950s buildings as well as underground ducts and tunnels for water, gas and electricity, which are lagged with damaged asbestos.

Forced eviction of Gypsy family 'would probably fail' - Waverly

WAVERLEY Borough Council has finally admitted that it has no plans to forcibly evict members of a Gypsy family from their home in Ellens Green. The council has come under fire from some neighbours of Bill Newland and his extended family over its refusal to take direct action, despite a persistent refusal to comply with enforcement notices in relation to the land at Pollingfold Place. Mr Newland has the right to remain on the land, which he owns but he has been ordered to remove a number of mobile homes and caravans, along with other structures, from the site. Pressure from Ewhurst Parish Council for the authority to take direct action has resulted in debates being held behind closed doors at Waverley planning committee meetings, but with no reason given, until now, for its decision not to take direct action. Ellens Green councillor Cllr Tim Bloomfield told last week’s parish council meeting that local people were being left in the dark because Waverley was not revealing the legal advice it had been given. This week, Waverley’s head of planning, Matthew Evans, told the Surrey Advertiser: “The council’s position is that disclosing the detailed legal advice we have received runs a real risk of adversely affecting the course of justice and may affect its ability to remove the unauthorised caravans from the site. “However, the legal advice is clear that, at the present time, any direct action or an injunctive remedy stands a very high probability of being unsuccessful, primarily because of the lack of alternative sites in the borough to accommodate the family that currently lives at Pollingfold Place.

Efforts to find new Travellers' sites in Forest of Dean

Forest of Dean District Council has said it is making progress in finding enough traveller sites to meet targets. The move comes after campaigners in Newent called on the council to move an illegal encampment in Southend Lane. The Romany Gypsies have permission to stay until the end of January but say there is nowhere else to move to. In 2007 a target of finding 30 pitches was set for the council and so far 14 have been found. In 2010 the target fell to 26 due to permissions granted.

Vera vows to be Gypsies' voice - Stow

STOW Horse Fair champion Vera Norwood feels gypsies need "someone to fight for them". So the staunch supporter of the contentious twice-yearly Gypsy gathering has put her money where her mouth is. ​ The octogenarian has become the first non-gypsy president of the national Gypsy Council for Education, Culture, Welfare and Civil Rights, which started in 1970. The outspoken former Stow mayor and ex-shopkeeper, who visited behind the barricades at Essex gypsy camp Dale Farm before the evictions, isn't afraid of courting controversy. In her new role, she is set to speak about racial prejudice at a Crown Prosecution Service meeting to discuss race hate guidelines in Birmingham on November 23. "I will speak from experience and say travellers have got to get more sites," she said. "I'm a Conservative but it's their fault. "Minister Peter Lilley changed the rules to say county councils didn't have to provide transit or residential sites, gypsies should be like everyone else and buy their own land. "But when they do, they seldom get permission to build on it. "Police were also given powers to move on gypsies with more than six vehicles, but most tight-knit, working families have more, so that's why they go into car parks." The political activist, who was "honoured and amazed" to be asked to lead the Gypsy Council, has previously tackled the prime minister on the issue of Travellers' sites. "I had a go at David Cameron at a Conservative garden party at Chipping Norton and also at a dinner. He said there wasn't much he could do about Dale Farm as it was Basildon Borough Council's decision, so I also wrote to them. "If they had not wanted Travellers there, they should have done something right at the beginning. A lot of the children were born there, go to local schools and some very ill elderly people are with local doctors. They'd turned it into a very nice place and it was in the middle of nowhere, so why did anybody complain?" Miss Norwood said she didn't even know any Gypsies when she started fighting for Stow Horse Fair, which was threatened by a High Court injunction banning overnight camping on the fair field. She said: "The Gypsies stick to the dates granted by the Royal Charter over 500 years ago and have a right to be here. "Somebody needs to fight for them as other ethnic groups aren't treated in the same way."

Conwy Gypsy site warning

A GYPSY Travellers’ site must be provided in Conwy county by the council, says the Welsh Government. Conwy County Council has been told its failure to identify a suitable site and implement a strategy in its Local Development Plan (LDP) is contrary to the Housing Act 2004. Conwy is now under pressure to look at a site in the east of the county following a history of unlawful camps in the area. The Welsh Government made representations to the council as part of the LDP’s consultation process, which is ongoing. The LDP is to be adopted as planning policy by the council in 2013 and will govern what can be built until 2022. As part of the consultation process officers are set to compile a new report, which will be made public next month. A separate consultation will also be compiled over alterations and new suggested sites affected by the LDP.

Uproar over Stourport remark at Bewdley Gypsy site meeting - Kidderminster

A COUNCILLOR chairing a Gypsy site consultation meeting in Bewdley apologised to “irate” residents after making a “misconstrued” remark about Stourport. Wyre Forest District Council chairman, Stephen Clee, caused uproar at the public consultation into a council shortlist of possible Traveller-Gypsy sites, when he tried to stop people shouting out by referring to the nearby town. The 140-strong crowd at Bewdley High School heckled but the Conservative councillor said his comment was taken the wrong way and he did not mean anything derogatory by it. Paul Simmonds, who was at the meeting, said: “People were calling out and it was not the order [Stephen Clee] would have preferred, so he stood up and said something like ‘I am not having people standing up and shouting, we are not like that lot in Stourport.’ “The whole place went up. People were saying ‘You can’t say that – you’ve just insulted the whole of Stourport.’ He wasn’t taken aback at all. He carried on until a lady stood up and said he should apologise, which he did.”

Home Farm earmarked for Gypsy settlement site - Surrey

AN "URGENT need" to house Gypsies could lead to a new settlement site being created in Effingham.
Guildford Borough Council (GBC) has earmarked three potential sites, including Home Farm, after past cases in which a shortage of sites resulted in Gypsies moving on to land then applying for planning permission retrospectively.

A "scoping" assessment of the GBC-owned Home Farm site, which is bordered by Calvert Road, Orestan Lane, The Street and the A24, will now be carried out to assess its suitability for gypsy pitches.
GBC leader Tony Rooth said: "We have an established Gypsy and Traveller community in the borough, which has an urgent, unmet need for pitches."
But at a public meeting last Thursday, Effingham councillor Liz Hogger branded the council's plans "too little, too late". Mrs Hogger referred to Government regulations issued in 2006, which oblige councils to conduct Gypsy and Traveller accommodation assessments.
GBC's review five years ago concluded that 30 pitches should be created by 2011, but the meeting heard that only two pitches have been set up, which Mrs Hogger claimed has led to planning laws being flouted.

Cookley potential Gypsy site 'conflict of interest'

 A COOKLEY resident says there is a “conflict of interest” in the owner of a plot shortlisted for travellers pitches also being the Government agency responsible for delivering Gypsy sites.
The issue was brought up when nearly 250 people packed into Cookley Village Hall for a meeting about the former Lea Castle Hospital site becoming a potential home to 15 Traveller pitches.
Gill Hill, spokeswoman for The Crescent and Axborough Lane action group, told outraged residents that the land was owned by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), part of the Department for Communities and Local Government, which is pumping £60 million into finding accommodation for Gypsies and Travellers nationwide.

Travellers evicted from Brighton site

Up to 25 Travellers were evicted from a site in Brighton yesterday (Tuesday 25 October). A clean-up operation was under way at 19 Acres, a site close to the A27 Brighton bypass, just off Devil’s Dyke Road. Council contractors loaded two lorries with the remnants of a summer’s occupation. Meanwhile travellers set up camp in Wilson Avenue and Sheepcote Valley in Whitehawk and in Carden Park off Carden Avenue in Hollingbury. At 19 Acres workers declined to comment on the mess left behind but a spokesman for Brighton and Hove City Council said that the eviction had taken place peacefully.

Locals urged to join in Stow Horse Fair

THE owner of the venue for Stow’s twice-yearly Gypsy horse fair has urged local people to get more involved in the event. More than 3,000 Gypsies and Travelling folk from all over the country converged on Stow last Thursday for the traditional event. Now the owner of the fair field in Maugersbury hopes more Cotswold residents will join them for the springtime gathering in May next year. Walter Henry, himself a Gypsy, said: “This is the most organised show in Britain. “We would like the locals to join in the festival. “They are welcome to come down any time, they won’t be charged. We would like to see them. All the people here are horse dealing people. We’re no hassle.”

Residents celebrate as Gypsies lose appeal to stay at Meriden camp

Campaigners are celebrating after Gypsies lost their fight to retain an illegal camp on green belt land in Meriden. Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles, upheld a planning inspector’s decision that the camp must go. Protesters hailed the decision “a victory” but urged Solihull Council not to let Meriden become the next Dale Farm. They called on them to restore the site to green belt quickly. Solihull council was unable to say how long the legal process would take. Leader Ken Meeson asked the public to show ‘‘patience and understanding as we now move forward.”

Council admits it has lost the right to determine illegal Wisbech Travellers site

FENLAND Council admitted it has lost the right to determine a controversial bid to legalise a ten acre gypsy travellers’ site after sitting on the application for nearly a year.  Romani Gypsy site in Redmoor Lane Wisbech. “The council no longer retain the jurisdiction to determine this application,” officers will tell Fenland District Council Planning Committee next Wednesday. However a seven page report says that “in the event that the council were able to determine the application, the application would be recommended for refusal.” It means a decision on whether seven mobile homes in Redmoor Lane, Wisbech, get planning consent is now up to a Government inspector. A report to the committee says 1.5 high metre bunding is intended to screen the seven plots for Romani Gypsies. In addition to seven static caravans the owner, Elizabeth Curtis, wants room for seven touring caravans too. Romani Gypsy site in Redmoor Lane Wisbech.Romani Gypsy site in Redmoor Lane Wisbech. Several previous applications for the site have been refused, with the most recent dismissed on appeal. An enforcement appeal two years ago held that “the location of this highly vulnerable form of development in a flood risk area remained a fundamental objection to retention of the use.” A report to next week’s committee from planning chiefs says that “although acknowledging interference with the appellants’ human rights, this was necessary in the public interest both in terms of public safety and to protect the countryside, and proportionate”. Ms Curtis was given 14 months to remove the “unauthorised structures” but the committee will hear that Fenland Council has held off from moving against the site once that period elapsed. Stuart Harrison, the agent for Ms Curtis, said all the families on the site “come from old established ethnic indigenous ‘Roman Gypsy’ families. “They are not Irish or New Age Travellers and all occupants are a related family group and have always maintained a Romani Gypsy lifestyle.”

Concerns over Bettws Gypsy site plans

OFFICIALS will face strong opposition from residents if they choose to build a Gypsy site on the outskirts of a Newport estate, according to local councillors. Newport council officers are in the process of identifying suitable residential and transit sites for Gypsies and are considering a shortlist of five areas. They include land near Nash Mead, Queensway Meadows, land at Pound Hill, Marshfield and two sites at Pye Corner. However, it is the inclusion of a site known as Yew Tree Cottage, on the outskirts of the Bettws estate, that has sparked strong concerns from Bettws Labour councillors Glyn Jarvis and Val Delahaye.

Travellers call for 18 new Gypsy sites over next five years in Crewe

AT LEAST 18 new pitches must be found for Travellers over the next five years to meet minimum Government targets. As residents are fighting plans for a permanent Gypsy site on land off Parkers Road and Kent Lane in the Coppenhall area of Crewe, Cheshire East Council has been told to treble the number of pitches in the area. ​The site off Parkers Road. Dawn Taylor, the Cheshire Partnership Gypsy and Traveller coordinator, told a meeting of the council's environment and prosperity scrutiny committee: "There's currently nine pitches in Cheshire East, there's still a need to find 18 pitches by 2016 if you went for the bare minimum. "A pitch is equivalent to one family. Travellers want a permanent base, and be able to access health and education; but they also want to uphold their tradition of nomadism." Although there are currently 15 permanent Gypsy and Traveller sites in Cheshire East, only one is council owned.

Guildford 'has need' for more Gypsy sites

NEW pitches for Gypsies and Travellers in the Guildford area are being identified in a bid to meet an ‘urgent need’ for sites. Councillors met to discuss a strategy of using its own land to provide additional pitches in order to tackle the growing number of site applications on green belt land. Council leader Tony Rooth admitted that the council wanted to regain control of where such pitches are located to avoid aggravating the community. “We have an established Gypsy and Traveller community in the borough which has an urgent, unmet need for pitches,” he said. “As a result some of the planning applications for pitches in the green belt have recently been granted temporary planning permission at appeal by the planning inspectorate. “This means we have little control over the location of new sites, which could be unsuitable and strain local community relationships.” The recent successful planning appeals by Travellers is a result of the lack of alternative Gypsy and Traveller sites provided by the council.

Gypsy site planning proposals rejected - Glamorgan

TWO planning applications to set up Gypsy sites in different parts of the Vale of the Glamorgan have been refused. The bids to put Travellers’ caravans on sites at St Mary Hill, near Pencoed, and Bonvilston were blocked by Vale councillors as the authority’s officers continue to search for a suitable site for an official Gypsy settlement in the Vale. Both plans were submitted by Shropshire-based Green Planning Solutions which was acting as agent for Gypsy applicants. The St Mary Hill application involved stationing residential caravans on land to the west side of St Mary Hill. It was refused by the Vale council’s planning committee on the grounds that it would have a harmful impact on the countryside. The Bonvilston application centres on land at The Stables, Redway Road, and involved putting caravans on the site. The committee said it would be an “unsustainable, unacceptable and unjustified form of urban development” in the countryside which would result in the permanent loss of good quality agricultural land.

Fenland councillors approve injunction to remove illegal Travellers to avoid ‘Dale Farm’ scenes

The council’s planning committee voted to apply for an injunction to remove seven mobile homes and seven caravans from Redmoor Lane, Elm. Planning chief Graham Nourse said there was little prospect of planning permission being granted. There were five options available to the Fenland District Council planning committee including a mandatory injunction, compulsory purchase, prosecution or take no action. The last was to take direct action, the approach Basildon Borough Council took, but was seen by council officers to be too “draconian.” Councillor David Connor said: “We have to do this the proper way as we have seen the problems if you don’t in the last six months at Dale Farm.” Councillor Mark Archer said: “If this involved an ordinary resident we would have rejected the plans, in an area with flooding issues such as this we would have said the property needs two storeys to be approved. “As we have seen at Dale Farm we can’t go in with direct action, there are people who live there who have health implications and we can’t threaten the people who live there, including the children. “We have done it the right way, and as far as I’m concerned the people who live there are there illegally and we can’t just put up with it because it would open the floodgates. “Fenland council has got a good relationship with the Travellers and we don’t want to upset them as they need a place to live.

Resignation call after Somerset Traveller site bid fails

GYPSIES living illegally on land owned by a district councillor near Bruton are facing eviction after plans for a permanent traveller site there were thrown out. Henry Hobhouse, who represents the Castle Cary ward on South Somerset District Council, came under fire when his planning application was discussed by the authority's area east committee last week. ​ District councillor Henry Hobhouse is at the centre of a row over plans for a per manent Gypsy site on his land in Pitcombe. The application was refused on the grounds of there being no permanent water supply on the site off Green Lane, Pitcombe, as well as concerns over road safety and sustainability. Pitcombe residents claim Mr Hobhouse has flouted planning law by allowing caravans onto the land without permission two years ago. Mr Hobhouse refused to confirm if he was going to appeal the decision. If he does not, enforcement action will be taken to ensure the caravans and Travellers are removed.

Public meeting on Wyre Forest Gypsy site plan

Members of the public are invited to a meeting of Bewdley Town Council which has been called on Thursday to discuss its response to controversial plans for new Gypsy and Traveller sites in Wyre Forest. Seven potential sites in the district are being considered in a consultation process which was launched last week to give people the chance to have their say on the proposed developments. One site being considered is land on Stourport Road in Bewdley which could house up to 15 pitches. Bewdley Town Council is holding a public meeting at Bewdley High School in Stourport Road to hear the public’s view.

Traveller sites research is branded 'diabolical' - Cambridgeshire

 Research which found South Cambridgeshire would have to take the biggest share of new Traveller sites in the region has been dubbed “diabolical”. As the News reported, the county council found 326 additional permanent pitches would be needed across the area by 2031 and that 114 should be located in the rural district around Cambridge. But members of South Cambridgeshire District Council said the findings varied wildly from a more rigorous exercise carried out five years ago. Other districts had seen their estimated demand dramatically drop and councillors questioned whether other authorities had been incorrect, or even misleading, in their submissions. The study was meant to help to identify new plots but Cllr Mark Howell, the council’s housing chief, condemned it as “absolutely diabolically bad”. Banning any use of the research until it was clarified, Cllr Howell said: “In no way can I accept the report as it stands at the moment.” At Cllr Howell’s regular portfolio meeting, councillors questioned why Fenland’s expected need for the next decade had dropped from 75 to two since the last study. And cabinet member Cllr Nick Wright criticised the “continuing disgrace” that Cambridge was not providing new pitches. Melbourn’s Cllr Jose Hales said: “Someone is lying.”

New Traveller sites planned for Sussex

A NUMBER of new Traveller sites could be built across Sussex. Unitary, district and borough councils countywide are consulting on the possibility of building permanent Traveller sites. Sites could be established in Littlehampton, Lewes, Newhaven, Brighton and Hove, Chichester, Hailsham, Uckfield, Polegate and Crowborough. This is in addition to the current 17 permanent sites which already exist in Sussex.

Dale Farm saga ‘unlikely’ to be repeated in Norfolk

New figures obtained by the EDP under the Freedom of Information Act show that just half a dozen planning applications for new private and local authority Gypsy and Traveller sites were approved last year in Norfolk and north Suffolk.
Top-down targets previously set by the Labour government were scrapped by the coalition government in favour of “light-touch guidance” encouraging local councils, in consultation with residents, to provide Gypsy and Traveller sites that reflect local and historic demand.
The guidance has seen many councils abandoning their Regional Spatial Strategy targets, which resulted in six sites in Norfolk and north Suffolk receiving planning permission in 2010/11.

MP and council leader at odds over Gypsy sites - Wyre Forest

THE leader of Wyre Forest District Council and the district’s MP are at odds over Gypsy and Traveller sites. MP Mark Garnier says Wyre Forest does not need more sites and the report by Baker Associates, used to create a shortlist of potential pitches, is flawed. He believes communities have been caused unnecessary distress by the consultation process. Councillor John Campion denies fellow Conservative Mr Garnier’s claims, in his Shuttle column and newsletter, that the authority has based ongoing consultation on the outdated Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS). “It’s it simply not true,” he said. “The figures the council is using are based on evidence that it used to influence the RSS, not figures the RSS have given us. This is an important distinction that should be understood.”

Build Gypsy homes on new estates - Kent

A SENIOR councillor wants to put Gypsy and Traveller caravans on new housing estates instead of building sites in the countryside.  John Sell Tory councillor John Wright says affordable housing on future estates should include mobile chalets and pitches for caravans, to create what he calls a "mixed development". But a Faversham planning consultant has poured scorn on the proposal. John Sell, who advises Faversham Town Council on planning matters, predicts Cllr Wright's idea will face a host of objections, not least the appearance of mobile homes alongside housing developments.

Councilllor slams the cost of Dorset's Gypsy site hunt

A COUNCILLOR has slammed the ‘staggering’ £244,000 consultation costs to find suitable Gypsy and Traveller sites throughout Dorset. It comes the day after Weymouth and Portland Borough councillor John Birtwistle said the 56-page Development Plan Document drawn up by external consultants was ‘complete rubbish’ at a council meeting. During the debate councillors gave the green light to the proposed shortlist of sites going to consultation in the borough. Residents will be asked their say, along with West Dorset residents, during the public consultation starting on November 18.

Anti-Gypsy camp campaign wins top-level backing - Wrexham

Campaigners fighting plans for a controversial Gypsy camp have won the support of a senior councillor. Cllr Tony Sharps, deputy leader of Flintshire Council, has written to Andrew Farrow, the council’s head of planning, voicing his objections to the five-caravan camp planned for green belt land off Magazine Lane, Ewloe Green. Cllr Sharps has branded the proposal “outrageous”. He said: “This area is designated as green barrier. Now the Unitary Development Plan (UDP) has been accepted by the full council, I cannot see one reason for consent being given or recommended. “There is no infrastructure available on the site – water, main drainage facilities – and there are poor highway connections.” He added: “Flintshire has more than accepted its fair share of travelling sites. We have ones in Hope, Queensferry and Dollar Park at Holywell. Whilst some areas have got one site, Flintshire has already got three.”

Mystery surrounds location of new Gypsy sites - Winchester

MORE gypsy and traveller sites are likely to be needed in the Winchester area, although civic chiefs are yet to say where and how many.
The city council is drawing up its 20-year masterplan by April 2012, and says it does not have time now to publicly pinpoint the potentially controversial sites.
The issue returned to the spotlight at a public inquiry last week when Gypsy families denied city council claims that they are not travelling showmen.
The council is seeking to evict six families from Carousel Park near Micheldever because they are not showmen.
The authority granted planning permission in 2003 on condition that all residents were members of the Travelling Showmen’s Guild of Great Britain. Planners have issued an enforcement order for alleged breach of this condition.
But some residents claim they are both showmen and Gypsies. They are also appealing to have the site changed to a general Gypsy residence, rather than just travelling showmen.

New Durham sites planned for Travellers

TRAVELLERS could be given approved sites to set up camps in a bid to keep them clear of private and public plots. A search is on to find suitable areas where Gypsies would be allowed to stay. Durham County Council hopes this would help dissuade them from using unofficial sites, which could save the taxpayer money and reduce the level of potential trouble caused to permanent residents. It would also put it in a stronger position if enforcement action is needed. A number of such sites were set up in Teesdale during Appleby Fair. The council says they won the backing of residents and gave police and itself greater power to control encampments and minimise the effect they have on the settled community.

Arson suspected in Gypsy site fire - Somerset

POLICE are investigating a suspected arson at a Gypsy camp between Somerton and Langport. Fire crews and police were called to a fire at the site on Tengore Lane in Pitney at 3.20am on Thursday. Fire crews discovered a static caravan and toilet block on fire at the South Somerset District Council-run traveller site.

Travellers in line for own official sites - Hartlepool

TRAVELLERS could be given approved sites to set up camps in a bid to keep them clear of private and public plots. A search is on to find suitable areas where Gypsies would be allowed to stay. Durham County Council hopes this would help dissuade them from using unofficial sites, which could save the taxpayer money and reduce the level of potential trouble caused to permanent residents. It would also put the authority in a stronger position if enforcement action is needed. A number of such sites were set up in Teesdale during Appleby Fair.

Guildford Borough Council considers more Traveller sites

Guildford Borough Council is considering providing more pitches for Travellers and Gypsies. Three more sites are being considered by Guildford Borough Council ( They are looking at three in particular: an extension to the existing Ash Bridge site near Ash, Stonebridge Depot near Shalford and at Home Farm in Effingham. All of these sites are council-owned.Guildford Borough Council is considering providing more pitches for travellers and gypsies. Three more sites are being considered by Guildford Borough Council They are looking at three in particular: an extension to the existing Ash Bridge site near Ash, Stonebridge Depot near Shalford and at Home Farm in Effingham. All of these sites are council-owned.

Details of potential Traveller sites in Christchurch revealed - Dorset

DETAILS of three potential Traveller sites in Christchurch have been unveiled. Members at a full council meeting at Christchurch last night were asked to vote on whether proposals detailing the three potential sites should go out to public consultation. The only shortlisted site detailed in the proposals is Grange Road Depot in Grange Road, Christchurch, which would ideally house 15 pitches. Other sites for possible investigation include three plots at Dudmoor Farm Road and land at Hurn Court Farm in Parley Lane, which has been earmarked for 15 pitches.

MP challenges Nick Clegg over residents rights regarding planned Gypsy site in Crewe

CREWE and Nantwich MP Edward Timpson has quizzed Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg over the rights of residents as the fight against the proposed Coppenhall Gypsy site moved to Westminster. The Conservative MP demanded to know how the Government will ensure “the views of residents are heard loud and clear when local authorities seek planning permission for Gypsy and Traveller sites”. Mr Clegg said the Localism Bill gives ‘a raft of new rights’ for communities to make their views known on planning matters. Mr Timpson challenged the Deputy PM just days before attending Saturday’s public meeting organised by the action group Crewe Against Traveller sites.

Gypsy and Traveller sites consultation costs almost £250k - Dorset

THE consultation and research into Gypsy and Traveller sites for Dorset is costing taxpayers £244,000. The money is being paid to consultants Baker Associates to draw up a Development Plan Document. The eight district and borough councils are paying £10,000 each. Another £150,000 comes from the Dorset Strategic Partnership and a further £14,000 from the South West Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnership (RIEP) Innovation Fund.

Romany Gypsy family granted permission to leave on site as Travellers face eviction - Staffordshire

GOVERNMENT planners have told a Romany Gypsy family they can continue living on a plot of land while a group of travellers face eviction. Romany Gypsy couple David and Johanna Price have won their appeal against Staffordshire Moorlands District Council and will continue to live on land off Uttoxeter Road in Checkley. ​ But the Planning Inspectorate has refused travellers living on a site on Windycote Lane in Dilhorne permission to set up home on the plot; despite them owning the land.

As bailiffs amass at Dale Farm, residents fear brutal eviction

As bailiffs amass at Dale Farm, residents fear brutal eviction Following the rejection of a final bid to avoid a forced eviction through legal process, Dale Farm is set for clearance within the next week. Bailiffs and police are gathering at the compound adjacent to Dale Farm as preparations for eviction progress. Dale Farm residents have expressed ‘severe concern’ over the conduct of Constant & Co., the bailiff company with a £2.2million  contract to evict the residents. Mr Justice Stuart Edwards, who presided over one of the two legal cases brought by the Dale Farm residents, has repeatedly urged that any eviction should be ‘humane’ and treat those concerned with ‘dignity’. However, Basildon Council have contracted a bailiff company whose conduct has previously been condemned as ‘unacceptable’ and harmful by a High Court judge.

Search for Gypsy and Traveller sites - Bedford

A call for sites is now underway to help identify potential Gypsy and Traveller sites in Bedford Borough. The initiative forms part of the Issues and Options stage in the development of the Gypsy and Traveller Sites Plan, which identifies site allocations for Gypsy and Traveller sites. It lasts until November 28 and provides an opportunity for anyone to put forward sites they consider suitable and available for allocation as a Gypsy and Traveller site.

Gypsy wants approval to park HGV next to mobile home - Plymouth

CITY planners are being asked to allow a man to park a heavy lorry next to his mobile home on a picturesque site on the edge of Plympton. The concession would be a direct breach of a condition laid down by a Government planning inspector. ​ridgeroadplympton Ridge Road by Derek Harper Members of the Plymouth planning committee refused retrospective permission in 2009 for two Gypsy families to live on the site off Ridge Road, Plympton. The applicant, Alfred Reilly, appealed to the planning inspectorate and won. The inspector allowed the mobile homes but said the owners could not park any lorry over 3.5 tonnes on-site or on Ridge Road, in an area designated as greenscape land and within the countryside park.

Cash pledged to block plans for Gypsy camp - Crewe

THOUSANDS of pounds have been pledged in only a week for a community to pay for professional help to block plans to open a Gypsy camp. More than £2,000 has been collected to start off a fighting fund to stop the proposals for a 12-pitch permanent site in picturesque countryside on the outskirts of Crewe. And a protest meeting attended by nearly 400 people at the weekend heard how a legal expert with a track record of defeating similar schemes in the south of England had already been approached. Cash will also be raised by collecting old clothing for recycling and through personal donations. The row is over a Cheshire East Council planning application for the plot off Parkers Road and Kent Lane in Coppenhall to house 24 trailers, 24 vehicles and an amenity block with washrooms, a kitchen, dayroom and laundry

Goostrey will not have Gypsy site – for now - Knutsford

BOROUGH council officials looked at the possibility of building a Gypsy site in Goostrey. However Cheshire East Council’s Cabinet has instead decided to move forward with a planning application that could see a permanent site for Gypsies and Travellers developed in Crewe. Following an assessment of council-owned land in the borough, a plot off Booth Bed Lane in Goostrey was looked at, but the Crewe site was judged to be the most appropriate location for a permanent site.

CPRE fears ‘influx of Travellers’ - Dorset

DORSET Campaign to Protect Rural England is asking for the opinions of residents on plans for traveller and gypsy sites in the area. The Dorset branch of the CPRE is also questioning whether the calculated total number of sites realistically reflects the number of Travellers and Gypsies in the area. Trevor Bevins, CPRE Dorset director, said: “If these crucial calculations amount to an over-provision, which we fear they might be, it could encourage an influx of travellers to the detriment of Dorset’s wellbeing.” He added: “It could result in an increase in litter and waste, not to mention the economic drain on education, healthcare and social services.”

Gypsy family booted off illegal camp site - Bedford

A family of Gypsies were evicted from an unlawful site on Wednesday after their settlement delayed the building of a legal Traveller camp. Bedford Borough Council had hit the McGinley family with an eviction notice saying they must move after they set-up in Meadow Lane, Bedford, last month without permission. Bedfordshire on Sunday reported last month how the site had to be turned down as a permanent Traveller and Gypsy encampment in July because noise pollution didn’t meet Government criteria. But earlier this month the borough council gave the green light for an emergency Traveller site to be built.

Liverpool’s Big Fat Gypsy Wedding dressmaker gets to work on her own series

LIVERPOOL’S Big Fat Gypsy Wedding designer Thelma Madine has started training girls to make dresses for a new TV show. Filming is underway in the city for the new Apprentice-style series, Thelma’s Gypsy Girl. The Channel 4 show, made by Firecracker Films, will follow dressmaker Thelma as she takes on 10 inexperienced Traveller girls as trainees.

Meeting about South Cambridgeshire’s need for more permanent Gypsy and Traveller pitches

An independent study to help some Eastern Region councils plan for Gypsy and Traveller housing needs over the next two decades will be considered by a housing boss next week. The report, commissioned by nine of the housing authorities in the Eastern Region, shows further Gypsy and Traveller pitches are needed across the region to meet needs now and in the future. As expected, the study confirmed there is a need for further pitches across the region, including more permanent pitches from South Cambridgeshire to meet the need of people currently living on existing sites with temporary planning permission.

Petition launched against Ladywell Travellers site - Lewisham

PEOPLE living on a road recommended for use as a Travellers’ site have set up a petition and their own website. Lewisham Council is consulting on using the old Watergate School in Church Grove, Ladywell, to house travellers and gypsies. But those living there say the road is far too narrow and there are serious problems over access. The savechurchgrove.com site contains photos alongside details of their previous campaign four years ago when the issue was first raised.

Future of Gypsy site is out of council hands - Wisbech

THE future of an illegal Gypsy travellers’ site is now out of Fenland Council’s hands and will be decided by a government inspector. Today’s (Wednesday) Fenland Planning Committee meeting will hear how the council has lost the right to determine a retrospective application by Elizabeth Curtis for a change of use to create seven residential plots for Romani Gypsies involving the creation of a 1.5metre high bunding at Redmoor Lane, Wisbech.

Opposition to plan for Travellers’ site - Rutland

VILLAGERS were due to meet again last night to discuss filling in forms opposing a potential gipsy and travellers’ site. Land in Brooke Road, Braunston, has been put forward as a potential Travellers’ site by the landowner after Rutland County Council appealed for possible sites for development last year. About 300 people packed into Braunston Village Hall on Wednesday evening last week for a meeting hosted by the parish council to discuss the idea.

Another family to be thrown off Gypsy site - Northants

Grandparents facing eviction from a Traveller site say no-one will be happy until they move to the Moon. Tracy and Shell Holland have pledged to appeal after Kettering Council refused to let them live on farmland in Braybrooke Road, Braybrooke, on Tuesday. Mrs Holland said: “No-one is going to accept us unless they can find a site on the Moon for us.” Mr Holland, who appealed emotionally to the planning committee after they threw out the application, added: “It takes you back to the days of cowboys and Indians. “They won’t rest until we’ve all gone.”

Dorset petition against Lansdowne Gypsy site 'derogatory'

A petition against a proposed traveller site in Bournemouth has been called "derogatory" by the National Romany Rights Association. The protest in Lansdowne comes amid Dorset-wide plans for about 100 permanent sites the county is duty-bound to find over the next 15 years.

Families explore Gypsy history at Lambeth park

Thousands of people took a trip back in time to explore the history of Gypsy culture on Saturday. Fortune-tellers, Romany singers and horse-drawn carriages were just some of the attractions at Norwood Park. Andrea Perry, from Friends of Norwood Park, said: "It was extremely successful. It was a great chance to bring together the history of the Gypsies with more current things."

Public meetings announced for Gypsy sites consultation - Kidderminster

PUBLIC meetings dates and venues have been announced for Wyre Forest residents to have their say on controversial plans for Gypsy and Traveller sites. Wyre Forest District Council has arranged a series of opportunities for communities to have their say on the seven sites put forward in the consultation, which runs until November 18.

Councillors approve Gypsy and Traveller consultation - Dorset

Councillors in Poole have agreed to go ahead with the next stage of a Dorset-wide consultation on potential Gypsy and Traveller sites. Cabinet members agreed last night to proceed with a full list of all sites considered by independent planning consultants Baker Associates. The news comes as four traveller sites in neighbouring Bournemouth have been revealed.

Gypsy family delighted as two caravans win approval - Cornwall

TWO Gypsy families say they are "over the moon" after their application for two caravans to settle permanently near Luxulyan was approved. The site at Conce Moor in Lockengate – midway between Bugle and Bodmin – will also see two brick 18ft by 28ft day rooms built at either caravan. Cornwall councillors on the central sub-area planning committee voted unanimously in approval of the planning application last Wednesday at County Hall, Truro.

Leeds City Council’s £75 lessons in ‘Gypsy life’

Council workers in Leeds have been invited to take part in a crash course to teach them how to better “engage with Gypsies and Travellers”. The training course will cost £75 plus VAT per person and the YEP understands the bill will be picked up by Leeds City Council. Leeds Gypsy and Traveller Exchange (Gate) is running the course, titled ‘How to engage with Gipsies and Travellers as part of your work’ which includes talks under the headings: health and well-being crisis in Gipsy and Traveller communities, closing the understanding gap, dealing with young Gypsies and Travellers and an interactive “visioning” session.

Gypsy site application rejected - Malvern

A PLANNING application for a Gypsy encampment between Malvern and Powick has been rejected by councillors, but an appeal hearing against the decision will take place later this year. At a meeting of Malvern Hills District Council's southern area development control committee, members unanimously rejected an application for a site for five touring caravans at Bastonford.

Weymouth Traveller sites plan: 'gateway' locations included

THREE sites have been shortlisted for proposed Gypsy and Traveller sites in Weymouth. And two are situated at prominent ‘gateway’ sites on the outskirts of the town. It comes after it was announced last month that the county would have to find room for a total of 585-609 residential and transit pitches – with 80-84 required in West Dorset and 29-30 in Weymouth and Portland by 2013. The initial sites suggested by planning consultants have been revealed a week before the borough council will discuss the choices in the Policy Development Committee on Monday October 17. The Weymouth sites suggested include the park and ride site, near to the Mount Pleasant Business Park, the redundant land next to the household recycling centre in Lodmoor and South Buckland Farm, near Coldharbour. All the sites are currently publically-owned land.

Gypsy elder meets with housing officers - Maggie Smith-Bendell - Somerset

GYPSY elder Maggie-Smith Bendell has shared her lifetime of knowledge and experience in the challenges faced by her people with officers of a South Somerset housing association. Following a successful project largely funded by Yarlington Housing Group in July to raise awareness to students at Wadham Community School in Crewkerne, the company realised that a lot could be learned by its own staff and a visit was arranged by Mrs Smith-Bendell to speak directly to them.

'Gypsy Boy' Mikey Walsh is proud to be a Gypsy but can never return to his old life

“I’m very proud of who I am – being a Gypsy is in your blood,” he says. “There is this amazing sense of community and respect for each other – a huge extended family. “And it is something I really miss. There were so many colourful characters.”

Councillors could not agree why they wanted to refuse Gypsies’ planning - Lincolnshire

A TRAVELLING family who want to return to their South Holland roots have had their future put on hold after councillors failed to agree on whether they should be allowed to stay.

Weymouth Traveller sites plan: Rejected sites

FIVE proposed Gypsy sites in West Dorset have been dropped after the landowners came forward to say their land is not available. Only seven of the shortlisted sites will be put forward in talks to find suitable locations. It comes after a furious West Dorset farmer says his land was earmarked as a Gypsy site without his knowledge.

Traveller site bid kicked out - Brentwood

THE Government has ruled a Travellers’ site cannot be established in Brentwood, even though planning inspectors gave it the go ahead. In April 2009, Brentwood Council refused planning permission for six residential Gypsy pitches with hardstanding, amenity areas, day rooms and stabling for horses at Oak Tree Farm, in Chelmsford Road, Blackmore. However, at an appeal in October 2009 and January and February last year, planning inspector Richard Clegg said the Travellers, who own the site, should be allowed to stay.

Villagers in Braunston unite to oppose Gypsy site - Rutland

ANGRY residents are linking up to fight a proposal for a Gypsy site in their village. Land in Brooke Road, Braunston, has been put forward as a potential travellers’ site by the landowner after Rutland County Council appealed for possible sites for development last year. About 300 people packed into Braunston Village Hall on Wednesday evening for a meeting hosted by the parish council to discuss the idea. A field alongside the land has also been suggested as a possible site for affordable housing.

Permanent Gypsy sites could be key to community harmony -hesire

COUNCIL bosses hope to reduce tensions between gipsies and other residents by identifying suitable locations for permanent traveller sites. The county has an established population of Gypsies in sites such as Horseshoe Farm in Warmingham Lane. But Cheshire East Council says it will be ‘powerless to act’ against unauthorised developments and face huge costs if there are not enough permanent sites.

Norwood Park prepares to celebrate 100th birthday with Gypsies - Croydon

Gypsies have formed an intrinsic part of the history of Norwood Park, and the tradition will be recognised during centenary celebrations this weekend. Tales of Travellers and Gypsies in Norwood have been traced back to the 17th century, including the legendary Queen of the Gypsies Margaret Finch who drew visitors such as Samuel Pepys and Dr Johnson to her conical hut on the park site. To celebrate this link centenary organisers have invited the Clearwater Gypsies, who represent the gypsy and traveller community, to bringing an amazing display of traditional Gypsy wares.

'I don't want Gypsies near my pub' - Crewe

A LONG-ESTABLISHED landlord fears his historic pub will close if a planned permanent Gypsy site is allowed to go ahead on its doorstep. Kevin Henley says the move would be "the final nail in the coffin" for the White Lion in Warmingham Road, Crewe; the Victorian coaching house he has run for almost seven years.

Dale Farm Travellers ‘look to’ Crosby

Travellers have allegedly pinpointed the coastal park and Burbo Bank as possible locations to move to when they are eventually moved on. The claims have apparently been made on social networking sites Twitter and Facebook.

Leave horses alone says Gypsy owner - Bucks

THE owner of three horses which are tethered in Fairford Leys has urged residents not to untie them and take them for walks. The horses are tethered on public land between Coldharbour Way and the Fairford Leys football pitches, close to the Oxford Road roundabout. Joe says that a number of people have untied them and taken them for walks because they feared they were abandoned. He said: “I caught one lady walking them up and down a path. “Someone else went down there and took them off a tether. “They then tied them to another horse’s tether. “The horse could have broken its legs. “I don’t mind people going to feed them with their kids, that doesn’t bother me. Everybody loves horses and people that live on a housing estate don’t get to see horses every day.

Travellers fury at coastal footpath plans - Cardiff

A community of Gypsies and Travellers have hit out at plans for a coastal path that will allow walkers access to a route alongside their site.
Part of the s10m 870-mile footpath, running the entire coast of Wales, will run past the site at Rover Way in Cardiff.
Residents of the site are furious after being told the Wales Coast Path will run directly next to their camp.

Gypsy site planned for Coppenhall - Crewe

A NEW Gypsy and Traveller site is being planned for Crewe. Cheshire East Council's cabinet has carried out an assessment of various pieces of council owned land to choose the most appropriate site. A plot off Parkers Road, in Coppenhall, has been chosen because it is near to schools and shops and has good road access. If approved the site would house 12 pitches and an amenity block.

Wyre Forest Gypsy sites consultation begins

A SIX-week consultation on possible Wyre Forest sites for Gypsies, Travellers and travelling Show People will start tomorrow and run until November 18.

Gypsy flag to fly above town promenade

Gypsy flag to fly above town promenade

The town prides itself on the 52 flagpoles which grace its seafront, all flying European or other national flags.

Town councillors have now provoked a row by agreeing to include the Romany Gypsy flag.

Supporters of the move say they want to mark the area's "long tradition of Gypsies".

But opponents say they'll either have to remove a national flag to make room for it - or put up an extra pole.

Aled Davies, who represents Aberystwyth on the town council and is a member of Ceredigion County Council, said: "I was wondering why they supported it, as those flags are supposed to be for small nations, and the gypsies don't have a nation as such.

"Should we really spend money on a flag and flag pole during the current economic climate? In my view no we shouldn't.

"And I don't believe we should get rid of another flag to make way for this one."
Town councillors in Aberystwyth agreed to display the Romany Gypsy flag - a blue and green flag with a red cartwheel - despite the concerns of some members.
It was officially adopted as the Romany flag in 1971.
After receiving a letter asking for their backing, town councillors agreed it was something they would support, although the final decision will rest with Ceredigion County Council.
Plaid Cymru councillor Mark Strong said at Aberystwyth Town Council's meeting: "There's a long tradition of gypsies in mid and north Wales and they've done quite a bit for the culture over the centuries, so I think this is something we should strongly support."
However, with no empty flagpoles, the county council will now have to decide whether to replace an existing flag or erect another flag pole.
The flags along the promenade are based on three categories: flags of the minority nations of Europe; flags of other EU member countries and flags of countries which are the origins of significant numbers of visitors to Ceredigion.
A Ceredigion County Council said: "The display of flags on Aberystwyth promenade has attracted a great deal of interest over the years and is viewed as a popular attraction for visitors from all over the world.
"We receive many suggestions with regard to the display of new flags, however, the display is dictated by the limited space available and adherence to the guidelines is therefore necessary."
The Aberystwyth promenade has 52 flagpoles, including the flagstaff adjacent to the paddling pool on the north promenade: 30 flags south from the pier, 22 flags north from the pier.

BRIDPORT: Gypsy site - Lilac Farm ruled out

A FARM in Bridport has been removed from a shortlist of potential locations for legal Gypsy and Traveller sites. Lilac Farm in Bridport was one of four sites removed from the 12-site shortlist after the landowner came forward and said they were not willing to sell the land. The same reason was given for sites at Sydling St Nicholas, Rampisham and Broadmayne being removed from the shortlist.

My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding site resident admits £63k benefits con

A MOTHER of nine yesterday admitted conning £63,000 in benefits while living on the ­travellers’ site from My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding. Chavelle Price, 33, claimed to be a single mum while staying with husband Patrick and said she had a shoulder injury so she did not have to work. A member of the public tipped off investigators and she was caught when she submitted planning applications for a site in Wolverhampton in her and her husband’s name. At the city’s crown court, Price admitted making fraudulent benefit claims between June 1999 and December 2010. She was freed on bail and will be sentenced on October 12.

Plans for new council Gypsy and Traveller site - Crewe

A council is putting together a planning application for a new Gypsy and traveller site in Crewe. Cheshire East Council's cabinet carried out an assessment of various pieces of council owned land to choose the "most appropriate" site. A plot off Parkers Road, in the Coppenhall area of Crewe, has been chosen because it is near to schools and shops and has "good road access". If approved the site would house 12 pitches and an amenity block. The block would contain washrooms, a kitchen, a dayroom and a laundry.

Land in Coppenhall in Crewe earmarked for Gypsy and Traveller site

GYPSIES and Travellers could soon be pitching camp in Coppenhall as the council presses on quickly with plans for another permanent site. Cheshire East’s Cabinet is understood to have earmarked land off Parkers Road and Kent Lane as a suitable plot, just a week after announcing it was on the lookout for sites throughout the area.

Langham Gipsies “are integrated”

A GIPSY family has fought back about claims that they do not integrate. The Romany family who live at The Paddocks, Langham, were shocked to read that Langham Parish Council does not feel they are integrated in the village. They have recently been given extended permission to stay on the land. A spokesman said: “I speak for the whole gipsy community. We are integrated. Our children go to school and nursery and are invited to parties. “We attend street fairs and village events and have many good friends. “The only places we do not socialise are the pub because we do not drink and the village church because we are born-again Christians.”

Travellers vow to fight any relocation moves - Cardiff

GYPSIES and Travellers say they will resist any attempts to have them moved from one of the biggest permanent camps of its kind in Cardiff. Rover Way caravan site, in Splott, is home to about 80 residents – many of whom are Cardiff born and bred – and is one of only two Gypsy Traveller sites run by Cardiff council. The council will this week launch an evaluation into the future of the site after a report by a committee of councillors found it was in poor condition and “unsustainable”.

New Pitches - Lewisham

CONTROVERSY over using a former school as a home for Gypsies and Travellers has reignited this week. Tomorrow (Oct 4), Mayor of Lewisham Sir Steve Bullock is set to agree to consult on using the former Watergate School in Church Grove, Ladywell, for up to nine pitches for travellers. Lewisham currently has no home for its Traveller community after their pervious site in Thurston Road made way for the Lewisham Gateway development.

Traveller site planning refusal appealed - Watford

A family of travellers who were refused permission to build two pitches in Langleybury have appealed against the decision. The scheme, which attracted a petition of more than 500 signatures, was refused by Three Rivers District Council in August. The plans for two pitches, submitted by Jimmy Cash, show two “double unit” mobile homes, two touring caravans and a utility outbuilding situated between the two pitches.

Meet the Travellers facing eviction - Warwick

She says: “We have got nowhere else to go. It’s not an option to just go. I don’t want to live on the side of a road or anything like that.”

Plans in place for new Gypsy sites in Black Country and Staffordshire

PLANS are in place for almost 100 new plots for Gypsies and Travellers in the Black Country and Staffordshire.

Express and Star story

Dale Farm Travellers ‘could move to Kent’

“There’s every possibility they could come to Kent,” said Joe Jones, director of the Canterbury Gypsy Support Group and chairman of the international Gypsy Council. “It’s only a short hop over the bridge after all, unless the police decide to blockade everywhere like they’ve already done in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire. Who knows what’s going to happen? They might even park up on the M25 and block that off.