Gypsies win fight to stay on own land in Southwick - Wiltshire

From the Wiltshire Times

A Gypsy family has won its appeal against Wiltshire Council’s decision not to allow a mobile home on a field in Southwick.

The Planning Inspectorate has given permission for Theresa and Lawrence Cash to bring the mobile home and one touring caravan and to create a utility dayroom on the land, which they already occupy, at the junction of Frome Road and Poplar Tree Lane.

Inspector Nicholas Free-man has put several conditions on the permission, which included limiting living on the land to the Cash family only, that only three caravans can be stationed on the land at any one time and that no commercial activities will take place there.

A petition of 100 villagers’ signatures against the application was presented at the meeting in May where the plan was rejected.

Southwick parish Cllr Steven Jones said: “We are quite disappointed by the result, but there is nothing we can do about it now. We just hope Southwick doesn’t become opened up to more Gypsy sites. It is time to move on now.”

Planning consultant Philip Harcourt, who lives on Poplar Tree Lane and had previously spoken on behalf of residents, said: “Based on the evidence and the lacklustre response from the council I wasn’t surprised by the decision. As a neighbour, I haven’t had any bother with them at all.”