Traveller site appeal adjourned to look at pitch in Flackwell Heath - Bucks

From the Bucks Free Press

AN inquiry into a Travellers site at Walters Ash has been adjourned until September.

The public inquiry into an appeal against Wycombe District Council's refusal of a retospective application to allow two mobile homes and two touring caravans on the site began at the end of May.

Travellers moved onto the patch of land next to the RAF Air Command entrance in New Road in March 2011.

The land is in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Green Belt, and the retrospective planning application was refused in August last year.

It was brought to the inquiry’s attention that one of the occupiers, Gerard O'Connor, also owns a plot of land on the edge of Flackwell Heath, which is also in the Green Belt, but not in the Chilterns AONB. The inquiry was then adjourned to allow the appellants the opportunity to submit a planning application to allow them to live there.

If this site was suitable and planning permission granted, then the current planning appeal in Walters Ash would be withdrawn. If this site is also found to be unacceptable, it is expected the inquiry would reconvene in September.

A planning application has been submitted seeking the change of use of land to provide for Gypsy/Traveller site including the stationing of two mobile homes and two touring caravans and the erection of a utility/day room at The Nursery, 128 Heath End Road, Flackwell Heath. Further details have been requested and are required before the application can be considered to be valid.

Once validated the normal consultation process will commence.