Adsborough Gypsy plan won't be "another North Curry", says relative - Somerset

From This Is The West Country

A RELATIVE of a Gypsy applying to put five mobile homes on his land has dismissed concerns that the site could become “another North Curry”.

Land owner James Packman wants to put the homes and five touring caravans behind his bungalow in Adsborough, off the A38 between Taunton and North Petherton.

Locals are meeting next week to discuss the proposals, and some fear a repeat of the saga at North Curry, where it took six years to remove Gypsies who moved on to a field off Oxen Lane without permission in 2004.

Other residents have highlighted concerns over traffic if the move goes ahead. Parish councillor Roger Stoakley told the County: “Our stretch of the A38 is dangerous, and towing caravans and additional traffic turning in and out of our junctions could exacerbate the problem.”

But Romany Gypsy spokeswoman Sally Woodbury, who is related to Mr Packman, said: “He’s a reputable businessman trying to do the right thing – it certainly wouldn’t be like Oxen Lane."