Traveller in appeal over site refusal - Somerset

From the Somerset Guardian

A woman Gypsy is to mount a test case at the Court of Appeal in the latest twist in her fight to live on land in North East Somerset.

Kathleen O'Connor was refused planning permission for a private caravan site on land at Redlynch Lane, Queen Charlton, first by Bath and North East Somerset Council then, on appeal, by a Government planning inspector.

Those decisions were backed earlier this year at the High Court in London by Deputy Judge John Howells QC who dismissed her challenge to them.

But now, in a case which will be watched by local authorities and travellers throughout the UK, she has been given the green light by one of the UK's top judges, Lord Justice Sir Patrick Elias, to challenge that ruling.

The case will focus on the provision made for Gypsies and Travellers by local councils at a time when B&NES itself is finalising its list of likely official sites. At the moment, there are no official pitches in the district.

Lord Justice Elias said that Mrs O'Connor had an "arguable point" that the inspector had failed to give sufficient weight to the unmet need for Gypsy and Traveller sites in her area.

Mrs O'Connor, who owns land next door which is used for the grazing of horses, lives on the site with her extended family.

At the time of the inspector's decision in February last year, they included her daughter and three sons, and other family members.

She had applied for planning permission for the change of use of the land to a private Gypsy and Traveller caravan site.

see also: The Bath Chronicle - Top judge gives Gypsy right to fight ruling over caravan site