Bath Travellers site could become permanent despite objections

From the Bath Echo

A makeshift travellers site in Twerton could become a more permanent facility after council chiefs pinpointed it as one of the seven possible locations for Gypsies and Travellers.

Plots of land at Twerton and Newbridge have been identified as possible Travellers sites for Bath, which has no official pitches at the moment.

One site which is being looked at is land near Twerton Woods at Lower Bristol Road, where 15 transit places could be established.

The site is currently being used by Travellers who have been there for well over a year but the suggestion that it should be made more permanent has sparked a mixed reaction from neighbours.

Steve Williams, who lives behind the site, said: “My main concern would be the rubbish. It’s a mess down there at the moment.”

Wendy Delve, who has lived in Redland Park for 38 years, said the people living there at the moment had never caused any problems.

She said: “As long as they tidy it up, it is fine by me.

“We have had Travellers over there and nearby and they have been no problem whatsoever.”

Lindi Ford of Redland Park agreed that any site would need to be tidy.

She said: “I don’t want it to be an official site.

“I do walk the dog on the fields and the children play there too, it is a concern.

“When I drive past the site that’s there at the moment it is covered in mess.

“It will just look awful, it is one of the main entrances into Bath.”

A Bath and North East Somerset Council meeting on May 9 will discuss a draft consultation programme looking at the seven sites, not all of which would be finally chosen.

Councillor Tim Ball (Lib Dem, Twerton), who is also cabinet member for homes and planning, said the site in Twerton met many of the criteria the authority was looking for.

He said: “It is an illegal site at the moment and is quite messy.

“The problem is B&NES doesn’t have any Traveller sites.

“I would much rather see a cleaner site there permanently to provide homes for Travellers.”

He added: “It is far enough out, it’s away from properties, it’s on a bus route, it’s close access to local shops and is close access to local schools, so it ticks the right criteria.

“We hope the majority of people will appreciate we have an obligation to house local travellers.”

The other sites being looked at include plots at Camerton, Keynsham, Stanton Wick, Radstock and Whitchurch, while land at Station Road in Newbridge has been identified as a possible travelling showmen’s yard.

The council said setting up formal pitches would strengthen its hand when it came to dealing with illegal occupations and mean that users have to pay council tax.

Opposition Conservative councillors have raised a number of questions about the proposals and have voiced concerns that some of the sites proposed are within the green belt, which the Government has said should not be used for such sites.

Group leader Councillor Francine Haeberling (Con, Saltford) said: “We’re concerned that the council has rushed out these proposals without taking account of the new Government guidelines published in recent weeks.”

Tories have also questioned the cost of the pitches and asked how much council tax the authority expects to collect from each site.