Travellers’ site scheme - Selby

THE CONTROVERSY over the future of an arson-ravaged former mushroom farm has reignited.

New proposals to create Showpeople’s quarters at the old Gateforth Park mushroom farm near Thorpe Willoughby have been submitted to Selby District Council planners. A decision will be made in April.

It follows an earlier attempt to use the site for showpeople which was turned down last year after hundreds of local people objected.

Marie Stacey at Ian Beasley Associates in Nottingham said her firm had been asked to put together the planning

application on behalf of Aliceanne Smith and Donegal Creameries.

In its submission to the council, the firm says the showpeople were “compelled” to form a group because of the lack of alternative sites throughout Yorkshire. The showpeople are now “desperately” in need of accomodation.

They want to demolish some buildings and create accomodation for ten families. The scheme would meet a “social and economic need”.

The submission went on: “The proposal is a non-profit exercise, simply seeking alternative accomodation for local travelling Showpeople, the need for which is most pressing.”

“All future occupants presently reside on existing sites on a temporary basis. None of them have security of tenure.”

It stated many had been forced to frequently move from site to site.

And it went on: “The search for suitable and available sites for permanent quarters is rather like looking for a needle in a haystack.”