Beaumont Leys chosen for all three Travellers' sites in Leicester

From the Leicester Mercury

All three permanent Traveller sites planned for Leicester will be in Beaumont Leys, it has been announced.

The city council had short-listed eight sites – seven in Beaumont Leys and one in Aylestone – which it said could be suitable for the camps.

But city mayor Sir Peter Soulsby has now ruled out land in Montrose Road, Aylestone.

He said: "The prevalence of unauthorised encampments in Leicester clearly indicates that there is a trend in the area, and it is a problem specific to the wards of Abbey and Beaumont Leys.

"I have stated throughout that it is my belief that a suitable solution must be provided in the area most affected by the problem."

Craig Hewitt, Wigston Lane, near to the land in Aylestone, said: "I'm happy. A lot of people were worried about a gypsy camp being created here."

A resident of Montrose Road, who did not want to be named, said: "A Gypsy site would have killed house prices around here so we're glad the idea has been nipped in the bud."

A final decision on exactly where to create council-run Traveller sites will be made later this year.

Three plots of land in Beaumont Leys were announced as the council's preferred sites back in February. However, following public anger, the mayor passed the short-list of eight sites to a panel of councillors to scrutinise.

They will eventually make their recommendations to the mayor, who will make the final decision.

Sir Peter said he was still focused on the original three sites – Greengate Way, Beaumont Way and Red Hill Way – but was keeping an open mind.

The other sites on the list are Heacham Drive, Tilling Road, Thurcaston Road and Strasbourg Drive. The eventual sites chosen will cater for about 26 families in total.

Ian Carver, 52, who lives off Strasbourg Drive in Beaumont Leys, said: "It's frustrating that all the sites are likely to be in Beaumont Leys, but I can understand the reasoning as that's where the problem is."

The travellers on the new sites would mostly be temporary tenants, paying rent, council tax and charges for gas, electricity and water. The camps would be set up using more than £1.5 million of Government cash.

Sue Waddington, who chairs the panel scrutinising the potential sites, said: "We'll thoroughly deliberate all of the options before presenting our findings to the mayor, but at the end of the day he's got the final decision on all of this."

The consultation ends on July 13. Have your say at:

www.leicester.gov.uk/gypsyandtravellersites