Ewloe campaigners to protest against Travellers' site - Flintshire

From the Leader

CAMPAIGNERS fighting against plans for a Travellers’ site are set to hold a protest tomorrow.

Members of the Ewloe Green Action Group will be gathering outside County Hall in Mold before a meeting of Flintshire Council’s planning and development control committee, which starts at 1pm.

The protesters are battling against proposals for a Travellers’ site on land at Magazine Lane in Ewloe.

A report into the application by head of planning Andy Farrow is recommending refusal.

In his report Mr Farrow says the bid is a resubmission of an application which was dismissed on appeal following a public inquiry.

“Although the inspector considered the development would constitute inappropriate development in the green barrier and would harm the openness, he considered the need for Gypsy and Traveller sites outweighed that harm and therefore exceptional circumstances had been demonstrated,” Mr Farrow writes.

“However, the inspector was concerned that due to the site’s location adjacent to the A55 this would give rise to unacceptable living conditions for the site occupants with regard to the effects of noise and air pollution and had no evidence before him to conclude otherwise.

“Although there is still an unmet need for Gypsy and Traveller sites in Flintshire, it is considered the evidence put forward to address the noise and air pollution does not demonstrate the living conditions on the site would be acceptable and it is considered this could not be appropriately addressed by conditions.”

A statement from the action group says: “Our stance remains the same for this latest application – that this is inappropriate development in an area designated as green barrier.”

The planning application is for the change of use of the land for five residential Gypsy pitches together with the formation of additional hard standing and utility/day rooms.