Last appeal by field Travellers - Wiltshire

From This is Wiltshire
Travellers who have been living on a field near Hullavington for almost three years will make a second, last-ditch appeal to stay put after their plans were thrown out on Wednesday last week by the Northern Area Planning Committee.

The Irish Travellers moved six caravans onto the Rose Field caravan site in April 2009 but were ordered to stop building work by planning officers.

Their subsequent planning application was turned down so they appealed, but this too was dismissed in June 2010.

Planning officers recommended that the latest application to the committee for occupation of the field be granted, but the majority of councillors voted against it.

Case officer Tracy Smith said: “The appeal was acceptable in all respects being compliant with council policies.

“However, the development was considered unacceptable on highways grounds.”

It is felt that roads C1 north and C1 south, which exit the site to join the A1429, are dangerous as visibility is poor.

Mrs Smith said: “The applicants have been trying to solve highways issues and they have come up with a scheme that addresses to satisfaction the problems – building up kerbs on the point of exit, and a dangerous right-hand turn to get to the A429 has been prohibited.”

However, Coun Toby Sturgis, speaking on the behalf of council leader Jane Scott, who was absent, said the changes were not good enough.

“I think it is very important that we consider the inspector’s decision,” he said.

“There is no change to the junction of C1 north and south. The traffic from this site will be using a substandard junction. It’s not just cars but LGVs and vehicles towing caravans. Nothing more can be done to correct the junction.”

Planning consultant Tony Phillips from Thurdleigh Planning Consultancy Ltd has worked with the travellers to secure their future on the site.

He said he is in the unusual position of being both “game-keeper and poacher”, having worked for the council and serving the Travellers with a stop notice when they moved on to the land.

“The question is, where are these people going to go?” he said, adding that an appeal against the decision will be lodged.

“Back before the restructuring, when the council became a unitary one, £250,000 was allocated to look into six sites for Travellers and Gypsies. The money has been shelved, the process stalled. This is an inability of the council to fulfil its obligations when identifying suitable pitches through local planning policies.”

He said children on the site are enrolled in schools, and several Travellers have health needs that require care from doctors.

“This is no laughing matter – it is frustrating and difficult, and we are looking at the possibility that this could be in breach of race relation policies,” he said.