Travellers' site is bought by council

From the Royston Weekly News

Villagers are looking forward to a “safe and happy” future now the former Mettle Hill Travellers’ site has been purchased by Meldreth Parish Council.

Sports facilities, allotments and business units were among the ideas put forward for the land at the annual parish meeting last week.

The purchase follows the collapse of South Cambridgeshire District Council’s controversial plans to reopen the Mettle Hill Travellers’ site in Meldreth, after more than 4,000 villagers signed a petition against the plans last year.

Residents feared a return of the crime and vandalism which blighted the pitches before they were shut down in 1996.

Stephen Hawkins, chairman of Meldreth Parish Council, said: “Everyone was very pleased to hear that the land is now secure. The meeting was very useful and the atmosphere was far more positive and far quieter than former meetings about Mettle Hill.

“People will feel safer and happier knowing we have control of the site and that there’s no threat of it reopening.”

The parish council were given full confirmation that the sale of the land, from Cambridgeshire County Council, had gone through at the end of April.

A consultation period on the future of the five-acre site is now underway and a working party is being put together.

Mr Hawkins added: “Various ideas came up from members of the community at the meeting, from sports facilities and allotments, to business units and self build projects.

“We want to get as many people involved as possible and will be circulating all the houses for their thoughts in the future.

“People know what the Travellers site was once like so it is a relief for the community.

“The process has drawn the whole village together.”

Parish councillor Rob Searles said it would be a waste to leave it standing. He said: “Now we have bought it we need to decide what we are going to do with it.

“Various ideas have been raised already and it’s now a case of looking at which of those have the most support and which are practical to do.

“Village residents have funded this purchase through their council tax, so we have a duty to consult fully with them.”