Plans for seven new pitches at Tara Park Travellers' site, near Malton - Yorkshire

From the Gazette and Herald

A TRAVELLERS’ site in Ryedale is set to be expanded in a bid to prevent families illegally occupying other areas in the district.

Proposals for seven new pitches, each with its own amenity block, at Tara Park, near Malton, will be debated by Ryedale District Council’s planning committee next week.

The authority’s planners have said the expansion should be approved as it has previously been marked out by the council as necessary to cope with “shortfalls” in accommodation for travellers in Ryedale, alongside the creation of a new site elsewhere.

Tara Park, which was given planning permission 12 years ago, currently has 13 pitches and seven buildings housing facilities for those living there.

The plans have been submitted by Yorkshire Housing and would provide enough space for 14 caravans to the west of the existing pitches, near the B1248 York Road.

In its application, the organisation said: “It will provide a legal base for additional families to accommodate their mobile homes, which are in demand in this area and throughout the country.

“The available space for this type of land use is limited within the local area, but the demand for accommodation is high.

He said: “Making better use of this land would reduce the need for Travellers use land which they did not own.”

In a report which will go before next Tuesday’s meeting, planning officer Gary Housden said North Yorkshire had a shortage of pitches and studies carried out in 2008 said Ryedale needed nine more.

“This site is considered to be reasonably convenient for schools, shops and medical facilities because of its proximity to Malton and has little, if any impact, on existing residences,” it said. Mr Housden’s report said the North Yorkshire Gypsy and Traveller Steering Group, which carried out the assessment of accommodation for Travellers in 2008, had supported Yorkshire Housing’s plans as they would make a “significant contribution” towards dealing with the shortfall in pitches.