Gypsies ready to fight council for their homes - Surrey

GYPSIES living on land in River Lane, Leatherhead, have appealed against the council's decision to reject their planning applications.

Three applications for "permanent use of the land as a Gypsy and Traveller caravan site" were submitted to Mole Valley District Council, but in December the planning committee voted to reject all three.

Planning officers earlier submitted a report detailing the eight-year history of the site, adding that "on balance" permission should be granted.

Susan King, who lives on the site, said: "The reason we have appealed is that they shouldn't have turned us down in the first place.

"They were recommended by the council planners to give permanent permission.

"The second reason is that we can't just up and go, we've got nowhere to go. It's our home so we've got to fight for it."

Councillors were due to consider their next step last night as the Advertiser went to press, but any action could depend on a future decision by a planning inspector.