Gypsy site refused close to Chester Business Park - Cheshire

From the Chester Chronicle

On Monday (February 25) CWaC officers issued a decision notice refusing the application, saying the pitches would be ‘harmful’ to the green belt and the ‘very special circumstances’ did not outweigh the potential harm to the land.

If successful the application would have seen seven holiday pitches changed into homes for Gypsies and Travellers, with each pitch containing a mobile home, a utility room and a touring caravan.

Concerned business owners at the Business Park sent dozens of letters of objection to the authority fearing there would be an increase in ‘disturbances’ if a Gypsy site was created close to their offices.

And dozens of residents living in Dodleston and Lache Lane strongly objected to the site saying it would harm the Green Belt and take away much needed tourism from the local area.

Speaking about the refusal of the site, CWaC councillor for Dodleston and Huntington Mark Williams said: “I am pleased it has been refused.

“A lot of local residents strongly opposed the development and businesses were concerned. Apart from the application being on the Green Belt one of my main concerns was that the pitches were in a holiday resort and the application would take away facilities for people coming in to visit Chester.

“There have been Travellers before in this area and quite a lot of people from as far away as Dodleston were concerned about what a site would mean for the area.”

Court action was taken by firms on the business park in 2007 after years of problems with Gypsies and Travellers.