DORCHESTER: Olympic Gypsy site set to get green light - Dorset

From Views Online

Plans for a temporary site for Travellers near Dorchester during the Olympics are expected to be approved tomorrow (Friday, March 30th) – despite the worries of neighbours and the parish council.

Some fear that it may be impossible to close the site if Travellers decide to stay put once the Olympics are over.

Businesses alongside the proposed temporary campsite, on an existing pony paddock near the entrance to the Enterprise Business Park at Piddlehinton, fear for their security and have already been advised by their landlord to review their defences against intruders.

The temporary site could be used for nine weeks in the lead up to and during the Olympics and Paralympics.

News that the site was likely to be used was revealed in the View from Dorchester several weeks ago.

At the time one of the business owners told us: “Surely they could have found a site which was actually near the Olympics. Weymouth and Portland are surrounded by open fields yet they want to put this right next to our businesses and almost an hour’s drive away from the nearest Olympic sailing venue.”

Others have since added their voice to the objections. Piddle Valley Parish Council has written to Friday’s county council planning committee to formally oppose the use of the land.

It points out that the site, known locally as The Old Parade Ground, has in the past been used by “uninvited visitors” which it says has unfairly caused trouble for the permanent residents on the official Gypsy site next door.

The former military site, now an industrial estate, has long been the home for one of the area’s permanent Gypsy sites. A site which is widely acknowledged to be well managed.

The parish council’s letter said: “Granting ‘temporary’ permission will set a precedent to the site becoming permanent and the parish council would need a lot of reassurance that this would not be the case.”

Another letter of objection discusses security of businesses and concerns about returning the site to its original state – but is also critical of the county council for proposing the use of the five hectare site “with as little publicity as possible,” something which the council denies pointing out that it has advertised the application in the normal way and consulted with the parish council.

Dorset Gypsy and Traveller Liaison Officer David Ayres submitted the application on behalf of the county council and will manage the temporary site if the recommendation for approval is granted.

In a report he says that the county’s previous experience is that large events do attract Gypsy Travellers into the area and, without an official site, the result is often sporadic, illegal occupation of sites.

His experience is that temporary sites set up specifically for events, such as the annual Dorset Steam Fair, do mitigate the problem and make it easier for illegal occupations to be dealt with.

If county councillors follow their officers’ recommendation to approve the site, as expected, work will start on preparing the site towards the end of June with it being open for nine weeks from July 8th until the end of the Paralympics on September 14th.