Glinton: Traveller site bid opposed - Cambridgeshire

From the Peterborough Telegraph

Plans to build a traveller camp near Glinton have met with stiff opposition from villagers who fear it could lead to another Dale Farm crisis.

A planning applications has been submitted to turn a vacant field at Bedford Yard in Waterworks Lane, Glinton, into a Travellers’ site.

If the application is successful then the site will be made available for one extended traveller family and include two static homes, one touring caravan, private amenity space and parking facilities.

But the bid has been met with opposition from the North Peterborough Villages Association (NPVA), who are concerned that the site could lead to a repeat of the notorious Dale Farm Traveller site crisis in 2011.

In a letter seen by the PT, the NPVA states: “For most of us, the value of our house is the sum of our wealth, is our safety net, and our guarantee of a dignified retirement.

“Think of the despair felt by those who lived anywhere near the Dale Farm Gypsy site – their total wealth written off, unable to sell their houses.

“We also feel it could open the door to anyone in Glinton, Werrington, Elton, Peakirk, Helpston or Northborough with a piece of under used land to follow suit and try to make some money at the loss to us of our villages’ character and peace and safety.

“We try to keep a sense of proportion, and to avoid the apocalyptic view, but there was a time when Dale Farm didn’t have a problem, and now it represents the worst case scenario.”

John Holdich, city councillor for Glinton, said: “There is a lot of feeling against these plans in Glinton right now.

“The site would be out of character for the village. These proposals are not in the local development plan, so why should travellers be treated differently to anyone else?”