Cheers as Gypsy site is scrapped - Staffordshire

From the Sentinel PLANS to create a permanent Gypsy site have been thrown out following a campaign by residents. Cheshire East Council had proposed a 12-pitch site at Parkers Road and Kent Lane, in Crewe. But more than 7,000 people signed petitions opposing the move and even took their campaign to Downing Street. And following changes to national planning guidelines, councillors last night voted to withdraw the plans. At a meeting of the full council, held at Crewe Alexandra's Gresty Road ground, a motion to withdraw was put forward by Conservative councillors Michael Jones and Derek Babbington. Protesters in the public gallery cheered as it was carried. Mr Jones said: "I'm pleased to say we will remove the planning application. "We have listened, we have campaigned, and we have now got a way forward. "We will work hard to find sites for Gypsies and Travellers in Cheshire East, but in a different way." If approved, the site would have housed up to 24 trailers, 24 vehicles, an amenity block with washrooms, a kitchen, a dayroom and a laundry. A new Government policy means councils no longer have a duty to provide a local site for Travellers. Instead authorities can use the private sector to provide locations. Councillors at last night's meeting voiced support for the move. David Newton, Labour councillor for Crewe East, said: "I welcome this proposal. "We've made it quite clear, as ward councillors, that we've always agreed with the protesters in the action group that it's not an appropriate site. "Along with the action group we've worked enormously hard." Fellow Labour councillor Chris Thorley, who also represents Crewe East, said: "I can assure councillors that the 7,000 people are highly delighted with this. "This is an application for a site that should never have taken place in the first place." But Liberal Democrat Derek Hough, who represents Alsager, was unhappy with the 'U-turn'. He said: "We're letting down a section of our community. "They will continue to occupy illegal sites. They will continue to buy fields and apply for retrospective planning permission, so this is not the way I would like the situation to be addressed." Paul Edwards, a Middlewich First councillor, said: "While everyone's patting themselves on the back, there's still a lot of work to be done. "Until we have a proper strategy to accommodate these people they are going to keep coming forward because, whether we like it or not, they like living here." There are currently 15 permanent Gypsy and Traveller sites in Cheshire East, with one owned by the council.