Council leader John Beesley: there will be no Traveller sites in Bournemouth - Dorset

From the Dorset Echo

A CIVIC chief is reassuring residents that Bournemouth will not provide a permanent site for Travellers, despite a report recommending a review of “shortlisted sites, sites worthy of further investigation and previously rejected sites”.

Council leader Cllr John Beesley has already ruled out four sites earmarked for Travellers in the town following a county-wide consultation and vociferous campaign by local residents against potential sites near Erlin Farm, Careys Road, Throop Road and Park Road.

The Joint Development Plan Document will be discussed at today’s Local Development Framework Steering Group meeting at the Town Hall.

Cllr Ron Whittaker, who opposed the three green belt sites, said: “The consultation report does not draw any conclusions on the representations received.

“That, in my opinion, sums up this whole process.”

He added: “The document does not come to any conclusion on any of the representations received over the last 12 months, in particular to our green belt sites and the Lansdowne site.”

Cllr Whittaker was relieved by Cllr Beesley’s assurances that the earmarked sites could not be pursued for “planning reasons,” but stressed: “In noting the contents of this document we must have a very clear recommendation to show these four sites are deleted.”

Responding to Cllr Whittaker’s concerns, Cllr Beesley said: “I am aware that other sites were suggested by the public as part of the consultation process but I must stress that there are no other sites to look at in Bournemouth.”