Newent Travellers allowed to stay after planning inspector agrees with appeal - Gloucestershire

From The Citizen

TRAVELLERS will be allowed to stay in Newent after winning a long-running planning saga.

The group, which set up camp in Southend Lane during the Whitsun Bank Holiday in 2009, heard yesterday it had won its appeal against Forest of Dean District Council's refusal of planning permission.

A long raft of conditions has been attached to planning inspector Nicholas Freeman's ruling, which officials and residents are still sifting through.

The decision has left some in the town reeling.

Newent RAID (Residents Against Inappropriate Development) co-chairman Professor Ray Hodgson said: "First of all, we are very disappointed. Second of all, we will certainly want to respond, because we don't agree with the logic of the inspector – we don't think he's been logical. We weren't expecting this, to tell the truth. We will have to think what our next step will be."

The drawn-out appeal hearing finally ended in February, having twice been adjourned since starting in November.

It was two-fold – considering both the refusal of permission for 13 caravan pitches and associated utilities and hardstanding as well as an appeal against the enforcement notice issued by the council to have the Travellers removed.

While the planning appeal was won, the inspector said the enforcement notice was legitimate – but it's rendered virtually meaningless now the group will be able to stay.

At the appeal, Traveller Ricky Jones, 40, said he and the rest of the group were "lucky and fortunate" to have found the land in Southend Lane, which they bought for £50,000.

District councillor Brian Robinson, member for planning policy, said it would take time to go through the "detailed" decision notice before the authority took its next steps.

see also: The BBC - Newent Southend Lane Travellers are allowed to stay