A council stands to make thousands of pounds if it gives the go-ahead to a proposed Gypsy site development.
The landowner of the site at Stone Pits in Felmersham is currently waiting for the green light to be given by Bedford Borough Council but a covenant on the site says that the authority is entitled to take a 50 per cent slice of any increased value of the land when it’s sold.
The council says the covenant will not be considered when making its decision.
Earlier this month Bedfordshire on Sunday reported how the authority was weighing up granting planning permission at Stone Pits despite its own enforcement notice forbidding caravans on the site.
Residents had been given 21 days to respond to plans in Felmersham sparking fury that since the collapse of permanent Gypsy pitches at Meadow Lane, rural areas had been targeted for illegal encampment.
The covenant, that dates back to 2003, says that the council can request money made on the site once the landowner has sold it and charge interest if that money is late.
Cllr Alison Field Foster, who has been campaigning for transparency from the council over Gypsy and Traveller site issues, said: “I think the council will be ill-advised to grant planning permission of a site that would clearly cause such contentious issues.
“If it’s seen the council will receive money from a decision something like that could ignite a rural riot.” A council spokesman said: “The land in question was previously owned by the former county council which sold it several years ago. The existence of a covenant on the land is absolutely not a consideration that the planning committee can take into account when deciding the planning application.”
The council has made a u-turn this week over its plans for the Meadow Lane site.
As we revealed in September the permanent site was scuppered for being ‘too noisy’. But following our investigation it was found that a £6,000 independent report commission by the council said that noise could not be the sole reason planning permission was denied.
It is understood a planning application for permanent pitches at the site will be put forward next month and extra pitches at the existing Kempston Hardwick site are also being considered.
Deputy Mayor Charles Royden said: “Early authority from the executive is being sought to submit a planning application so that if the work is successful there will be minimal delay in this process.”
The landowner of the site at Stone Pits in Felmersham is currently waiting for the green light to be given by Bedford Borough Council but a covenant on the site says that the authority is entitled to take a 50 per cent slice of any increased value of the land when it’s sold.
The council says the covenant will not be considered when making its decision.
Earlier this month Bedfordshire on Sunday reported how the authority was weighing up granting planning permission at Stone Pits despite its own enforcement notice forbidding caravans on the site.
Residents had been given 21 days to respond to plans in Felmersham sparking fury that since the collapse of permanent Gypsy pitches at Meadow Lane, rural areas had been targeted for illegal encampment.
The covenant, that dates back to 2003, says that the council can request money made on the site once the landowner has sold it and charge interest if that money is late.
Cllr Alison Field Foster, who has been campaigning for transparency from the council over Gypsy and Traveller site issues, said: “I think the council will be ill-advised to grant planning permission of a site that would clearly cause such contentious issues.
“If it’s seen the council will receive money from a decision something like that could ignite a rural riot.” A council spokesman said: “The land in question was previously owned by the former county council which sold it several years ago. The existence of a covenant on the land is absolutely not a consideration that the planning committee can take into account when deciding the planning application.”
The council has made a u-turn this week over its plans for the Meadow Lane site.
As we revealed in September the permanent site was scuppered for being ‘too noisy’. But following our investigation it was found that a £6,000 independent report commission by the council said that noise could not be the sole reason planning permission was denied.
It is understood a planning application for permanent pitches at the site will be put forward next month and extra pitches at the existing Kempston Hardwick site are also being considered.
Deputy Mayor Charles Royden said: “Early authority from the executive is being sought to submit a planning application so that if the work is successful there will be minimal delay in this process.”
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