MP Tobias Ellwood takes Travellers site protest to Downing Street - Dorset

From the Bournemouth Echo

A PETITION opposing the idea of locating Traveller sites in Bournemouth’s green belt has been handed into Downing Street.

Bournemouth East MP Tobias Ellwood took the petition, which has been signed by more than 1,000 residents of Strouden Park, Throop and Muscliff, to the Prime Minister’s door. He also presented another copy to the House of Commons.

The petition objects to the proposed development of three permanent Traveller sites on green belt land in north Bournemouth.

Consultants Bakers Associates were tasked with identifying suitable sites across Dorset and have suggested three residential pitches could be put on land near Erlin Farm on Muscliffe Lane, five residential pitches could go on Careys Road off Broadway Lane and eight residential pitches could go on land on the edge of urban development at Throop Road.

Mr Ellwood said: “This petition is designed to show how inappropriate building such sites on our green belt would be and I am delighted that so many residents from different political persuasions have responded by adding their names to this petition.”

Throop resident Dominic Coleman, who is chair of the local area forum, said: “The green belt issue is one that has been going on for a long time and we are quite adamant to protect it.

“One of our concerns about the report by Bakers’ Associates was that it hadn’t really looked at other sites and instead looked to the green belt as an easy option.

“At a local level, the response has been overwhelming, opinions have been unanimous on this one.”

And Muscliff resident Les Deller, who is vice-chair of the forum, said: “I’m against it simply because it’s the green belt, I don’t care whether it’s a supermarket, new homes or a Travellers’ site. It’s about setting a precedent, if we allow travellers to live there then developers will be asking why they can’t build there.

“I personally think the government either need to change the law to allow councils to share resources or, if Bournemouth has to find a site, then it has to do that. We can’t keep revisiting this issue again and again.”