Travellers' plan draws objections - Cornwall

From the Cornish Guardian

CORNWALL Council has received a flood of objections from residents against a proposed Travellers' site in Looe.

If approved, the ten pitches would be located at Valley View Stables on Barbican Road.

Applicant Katrina Ring said the authority had announced a desperate need for more sites, and her 26-acre farm had been a registered and legal residential Travellers' site for many years.

"An additional ten-pitch transit site is desperately needed in the area," she said.

"Our farm meets the criteria and is well screened and away from residential properties."

She said the site would be clean and well managed, with little disruption or inconvenience to locals.

"Travellers, Gypsies and people of nomadic lifestyle have the same rights to live in a secure environment without prejudice and I strongly object to the racist bigots who treat ethnic minorities as second-class citizens," she said.

"We now live in a multi-cultural society, and nothing will change this."

Mrs Ring said those who had incited racial hatred towards her and her family had been cautioned, and other incidents were being investigated.

"I am Irish and very proud of it and my immediate family are from hardworking farming stock," she said.

"My great grandmother on my father's side is what the English call 'Traveller'.

"This term does not exist in Ireland, as every Irish family has travelled at some time in their life looking for work."

Several residents objected on the grounds of increased traffic.

Charles Watson said the location opposite Looe Community Academy was inappropriate and raised concerns over the loss of green space.

Victoria Richardson said: "We already have a huge Barrett Homes development being built, and a doctor's practice which can hardly cope. We don't even have an NHS dentist in the town. Can Looe really cope with even more families moving into the area?"

Terry McGuinness said he could not believe the application was even considered.

"Crime, pollution and unsavoury behaviour would increase to immense levels," he wrote.

"Perhaps this application will concentrate the minds of those who do object to a real threat to our way of life and standard of living," he said.

"Please don't think I am racist or bigoted but just take a look at what happens when such Traveller sites are erected, legally or not."