Plans for Moor Lane Gypsy site refused for second time - Cheshire

From Wilmslow.co.uk

Controversial plans to build a Gypsy site on green belt land to the north west of Moor Lane have been refused for the second time.

The Council received over 550 letters objecting to this second proposal to change the use of the open land for the stationing of caravans for residential purposes for a Gypsy pitch, a utility/day room and additional hard standing.

This application, submitted on behalf of Mr Allen, was referred to the Northern Planning Committee by the Head of Development due to the significant local interest in the proposal.

The Committee met today (Wednesday 23rd January) and members voted to refuse the application on the grounds that very special circumstances do not exist to justify inappropriate development in the Green Belt.

A document briefly outlining the applicant's personal circumstances was submitted with the application. The reasons put forward for the need for the site was the unmet need for Gypsy and Traveller sites in the area and the personal circumstances of his family.

The submitted supporting information stated that Mr Allen's eldest son suffers from glaucoma and it was necessary to move closer to Manchester Eye Hospital as they need to attend regular appointments and sometimes require emergency specialist treatment. However, it was not clear from the information supplied where the applicant currently lives, it is believed they may still live on a Council run site in Frodsham, which school the three children attend and which GP they are registered with.

The applicant's agent was invited to expand upon any information to support this application on a number of occasions but no additional information was provided, therefore given the information in respect of personal circumstances was limited only very limited weight could be given to it.

One of the reasons the previous application (reference 12/1144M) was refused in June 2012 was that "insufficient information has been submitted with the application in order to assess adequately the impact of the proposed development on nature conservation interests and trees". In order to address this the applicant submitted a protected species survey report which showed that there were no significant ecological issues with the proposal.

Ward councillor Gary Barton spoke at today's meeting to oppose the application, nobody spoke in favour at the meeting.

Cllr Gary Barton said "This application is materially exactly the same as a previously application already refused by this committee which sets a precedent. We again have a large amount of public opposition to this application. Objections received go into the hundreds, the majority of people in this audience today are here to object to this application.

"Wilmslow Town Council has made it very clear this application should be refused and we again see this application is contrary to government and local policy regarding the Green Belt."

"We've had no special circumstances submitted of any credence, any information requested has not come forth so I can see no reason to go against government policy or the precedent set by this committee."

Eleven committee members voted to refuse this application (two abstained) on the grounds that "The proposed development is inappropriate development in the Green Belt, and results in a loss of openness and encroachment into the countryside.

"It is not considered that the unmet need for gypsy accommodation in the area and other material considerations advanced by the application amount to very special circumstances that would clearly outweigh the identified harm to the Green Belt."