Families appeal against Gypsy site refusal - Surrey

FAMILIES living on a caravan site in Leatherhead have appealed against the decision that makes their presence there illegal.

Proposals to make the Gypsy site in River Lane permanent were thrown out by the district council in December, but the families have said they have nowhere else to go.

They argue their need for a settled home, particularly for their children who have integrated into schools in the area, means there are special circumstances that should permit their development in a green belt site where it would not normally be allowed.

Their appeal will lead to a public inquiry, expected to be held in May or June, after which a government planning inspector will make the final decision on whether the families can stay at the three-acre site.

The saga is now entering its ninth year.

Travellers bought the land in 2003, and in 2007 a successful appeal meant the four families were allowed to live there for four years while Mole Valley District Council (MVDC) looked for an alternative home for them.

All 41 sites that officers looked at in the north of Mole Valley were found to be un-suitable or unavailable, so the families asked for permission to stay in River Lane per-manently.

More than 600 people have signed petitions opposing this.

Many of them angry that anyone should be allowed to build on green belt land without permission.

Most of MVDC’s development control committee members agreed.

At a heated meeting in December, they went against an officer’s recommendation to approve the application.

Councillor Bridget Lewis-Carr said: “The committee felt “Why should they be allowed to build in the green belt? The settled community is not allowed to.”

Fears were also expressed that allowing the River Lane site would lead to the council being seen to have an ‘open-door policy’ to such applications, and make other key sites vulnerable to similar developments.

Cllr Derrick Burt said: “I would love to buy land in the green belt and build houses for my children on it, except that would harm the green belt, which is the reason we want to live in Mole Valley.

“There are 1,400 people on the housing list who would love to build on the green belt.”

There are currently 31 people living on the site, among them children whose remaining there has been supported by Leatherhead Trinity School.

A church, shop and football club in the town have also backed the families.

In a statement expressing their grounds for appeal, the families said: “While the site is located in the green belt and represents inappropriate development it is important to note that an earlier appeal was allowed, granting four-year temporary permission.

“The very special circumstances of the families still exist and now there are more children on the plots.”

Cllr Lewis-Carr said she could understand their viewpoint, adding: “These are school-age children and they are settled in the community. Their welfare must be taken into consideration if they are going to be moved anywhere.”

On Wednesday night MVDC agreed that, if the planning inspector agrees with its decision to refuse the families’ application, it should go ahead with enforcement action demanding they leave the land and return it to its former state.

The council has suggested giving the occupiers six months to comply with this, meaning they could have vacated the land within the next year.