Traveller family in plea to stay on Shropshire site - Shropshire

From the Shropshire Star

A family of Romany Gypsies claims it has been forced to move on to a field in the Shropshire countryside out of desperation because the family has nowhere else to go.

Shane Roberts and his family, who moved a caravan on to the field in Alveley, near Bridgnorth, about a month ago despite being refused planning permission, said they were also looking after an ill relative who lived nearby.

Mr Roberts made the claim during a planning appeal hearing in Bridgnorth.

The hearing was told the failure of Shropshire Council to provide a five-year plan to allocate land for Gypsies had left the family nowhere to go.

The Roberts family has appealed against the council’s decision to turn down an application to site two touring caravans and a mobile home on land in Fenn Green.

Shropshire Council has thrown out the plans twice, claiming the caravans would be an inappropriate development in the green belt and the family had no strong local connection.

Alveley Parish Council objected to the plans because of the effect the move would have on open green space, while residents also raised concerns about extra caravans moving on the site.

Mr Roberts said: “All my work comes from parts of Shropshire, I have family in Shrewsbury and Oswestry and I was born in Ellesmere.”

Dr Angus Murdock, representing Mr Roberts, said they were appealing because they believed there was substantial weight to move on to the land.

He said Shropshire Council had failed to provide a five-year allocation policy for Gypsies living in the county.

Mr Roberts added: “I’ve been working in the area since I was aged 18 and I’m 42 now.”

He also said his wife had an ill mother who lived in Worcestershire and having a base in Alveley would mean they were nearer to her.

He said: “My wife wants to be near her mother because she goes to visit her every other night. It will also be a permanent base for my family. My son is being tutored at home but we would like to get him into a local school. My daughter, Hannah, will also be going off to college.”

Planning inspector Andrew Hammond, who chaired the meeting, said if the appeal was successful strict conditions would be put in place to ensure only one mobile and two touring caravans were used the site.

A decision is expected within the next eight weeks.