Controversial planning application for Gypsy and Traveller site on a Chester industrial estate to go ahead

THE controversial planning application for a Gypsy and Traveller site on council owned land at Bumpers Lane is to go ahead.

Cheshire West and Chester Council’s powerful Tory controlled Executive reached the unanimous decision after considering a scrutiny report which recommended the proposal should be reviewed.

Borough Labour leader Cllr Justin Madders told the executive there had been ‘very clear messages’ about public consultation including the need to involve businesses in any decisions.

“People have a perception this council does not listen, you have a fast growing reputation that you don’t want to listen to what people have to say,” he argued.

“I hope you are big enough to accept you have got this one wrong and to realise the only way to build up the trust of the public again is to start the process again.”

Charles Shepherd, director of city based property firm Barlows, which is involved in the nearby seven acre Autozone development, said that along with other businesses in the Chester Commerce Park he opposed the location ‘in the strongest possible terms’.

“The business park has experienced many visits from the Gypsy and Traveller community and most have been unwelcome.

“Appalling conditions are left behind following even the shortest of visits.”

Portfolio holder Cllr Herbert Manley (Con) accepted ‘we do need to make sure we do things in the right and proper way’.

But the council had to move ‘quite quickly and clearly’.

Bumpers Lane and three other sites would go ahead with further consultations through the planning system.

Cllr Mark Stocks (Con) argued it was ‘impossible’ to have public consultation on which sites should be included. If that was to happen, ‘not a single site would come forward’.

Disagreeing with Cllr Madders that the council did not listen, leader Cllr Mike Jones (Con) insisted: “We do listen but we may not agree with what is said. It is fundamentally wrong to say we are not listening.”

Following the meeting, Blacon councillor Reggie Jones (Lab), who represented the views of businesses with premises close to the proposed Bumpers Lane site, added: “In effect they are preparing to bulldoze the proposals through irrespective of constructive criticism about the council’s strategy for Sealand.”