Newent traveller inquiry delayed until January - Gloucestershire

From the Citizen

FRUSTRATION has greeted news of a two-month delay in the Newent Travellers' saga.

The six-day public inquiry started on November 6 and was due to finish tomorrow. But on Friday, the planning inspector agreed to adjourn it until January 21.

Only half the evidence had been heard and the barrister for the Travellers has been called away this week to attend a High Court case.

January is the earliest date all the parties are next available to gather for the remainder of the inquiry, which is expected to last four days.

Joanna Greening, from campaign group Newent RAID (Residents Against Inappropriate Development), sat through all last week's evidence.

She said: "It's obviously frustrating and we would prefer to have a decision sooner and it probably won't be until March now."

She raised concerns that RAID are also awaiting a decision on 120 homes being built on Foley Road, and that if an appeal to allow the development is granted, it could lend weight to the travellers' case.

Mrs Greening said: "If the inspectorate gives 120 homes the nod on appeal by Gloucestershire Land Company they are unlikely to say no to a few Travellers."

Residents and the council have been fighting for three years to remove travellers from the Southend Lane site. The inquiry is dealing with two appeals – one against an enforcement notice served by Forest of Dean District Council, and one against the rejection of plans to build a 13-pitch caravan site on the land.

Forest of Dean councillor for the Newent Central ward, Len Lawton, said: "People are frustrated as they were hoping for an end to it.

"This is extending the pain."

The inquiry has so far heard evidence on the impact on biodiversity and ecology and also from two of the Travellers themselves.

Their representative Matthew Green, of Green Planning Solutions LLP, said: "The delay doesn't mean very much to the case. We expect to win."