Village prepares to fight proposed Gypsy and Traveller site - Bedfordshire

From Luton Today

A fighting fund has been set up by villagers angry at plans for a new Gypsy and Traveller site in Barton.

It will pay for professional planning advice on how the site, in Faldo Road, could be prevented.

On Thursday night residents packed into St Nicholas church hall to hear from the committee formed to fight the proposed site, which was agreed by Central Bedfordshire Council at the end of February.

Nadine Dorries MP told the audience they had an advantage as Barton was a large village.

“It’s quite sad for me as across my constituency I have got communities competing with each other, asking how they can get their site thrown out.

“The groups who are the most organised and put forward the most professional and thought-through arguments will win.

“There are probably 300 to 400 of you here tonight and other villages will have smaller numbers.”

The MP promised to address the issue of the Barton site, which she said was “inappropriate”, in the House of Commons.

“I’ve never been to such a noisy site,” she said. “You wouldn’t want children to walk across the A6 to get to school.”

Richard Beechener, one of those leading the campaign against the site, said “90 per cent” of those at the meeting had agreed to put their hand in their pocket to help pay for professional help.

“We will be going to the next meeting of Central Beds Council’s executive to object,” he said. “We will be making strong representations that it’s a flawed decision and we are still taking advice on whether the process should go forward for judicial review.

“I’m confident that we have some very strong points to put forward. You wouldn’t get permission to put houses there.

“What they also haven’t taken into consideration is that the Pulloxhill site they have agreed is really a Barton site.”

The Gypsy and Traveller site will be considered at the council’s executive committee meeting on March 18.