New Traveller camps planned as council bids to fulfil its duty - Somerset

From the Bristol Post

TWO new camps for Travellers could be created on areas of wasteland in Weston-super-Mare.

North Somerset Council has earmarked land at Old Junction Yard, just off Winterstoke Road, for 20 managed residential pitches.

As well as the permanent pitches, the council is also investigating the opportunity for a small number of short stay pitches at the same site.

The authority has also earmarked a second piece of land west of Winterstoke Road – currently allocated for a mixed used development – for a further Gypsy and Traveller site, containing 12 pitches.

North Somerset Council has to provide up to 60 new pitches in the district by 2016, to cope with the growing number of Travellers in the area.

The authority recognised in its Core Strategy, a blueprint for the future adopted in April, the need to provide pitches for the travelling community and had been looking at the possibility of using land within the new Weston Villages development. But it has now opted for the two sites at Winterstoke Road.

North Somerset Council deputy leader and executive member for housing, Elfan Ap Rees, said the council had a duty to identify pitches for Travellers.

He said the authority would consult with local residents and businesses ahead of any planning application being made and that any selected sites would be relatively small and properly managed.

Mr Ap Rees said: "In North Somerset there are approximately 60 residential pitches for Gypsies and Travellers on sites that are long established and have become integrated in the local community.

"As children on these sites grow up there is a need for additional pitches to avoid the risk of unplanned sites being set up unofficially.

"In addition we need a small number of managed transit pitches for the same reason.

"A survey we've carried out has shown that the initial need for additional pitches is in the Weston-super-Mare area as this is where most members of the current gypsy and traveller community want to live.

"The site choices are also near to schools and other facilities that families need."

Mr Ap Rees added the council is continuing a review of potential sites to include land within the new urban village areas at Locking Parklands – the former RAF Locking site – and on the former Weston Airfield as well as exploring the potential to build on other sites in the district.

Mr Ap Rees added: "The aim is to establish sites where there is minimal likelihood of conflict and where landscaping can be used to green the immediate area.

"This is a successful method for integrating the alternative lifestyles which we have seen at the existing site at Locking Castle and which we believe can work elsewhere subject to proper management."

Currently there are residential pitches in six locations across the district, including the Willowmead at Locking Castle, with five pitches.

There is also the privately owned camp, Moorland Park at Hewish, which is owned by local businessman Peter Penfold and has 33 pitches.

There are also other pitches at Box Bush Lane and Travellers Rest, Puxton, and at Clevedon Road, Failand.

Other areas in the northern sector of North Somerset have also been considered but mainly ruled out due to green belt or flooding constraints.

The latest plan, if approved by the executive, will go out to consultation in February and March next year, with the responses being assessed in the summer.

A revised document will then be presented to the council in the autumn.