Secretary of State says Gypsies on south Warwickshire greenbelt must go

From the Leamington Courier

The Gypsy families who have been living without consent on greenbelt land near Hatton for more than three years have just over a week before they must go.

In the latest stage of the saga concerning the Romani Gypsies at Kites Nest Lane in Beausale, the Secretary of State for Local Government has now quashed the families’ appeal against Warwick District Council’s decision to reject their ‘retrospective’ planning application to site their caravans on the land.

The dismissal of the appeal follows a public inquiry - the second one to take place - which was held at Leamington town hall in June.

The Gypsies had landscaped and moved on to the land on the Friday evening of a bank holiday weekend in April 2010.

In his report, planning inspector Clive Hughes, who heard the appeal, said: “The Secretary of State agrees with the inspector that substantial weight should be given to the harm caused to the greenbelt as a result of the proposed inappropriate development.”

Mr Hughes acknowledged that it will take time for suitable Gypsy and Traveller sites to be found in Warwick district, but he said that the Secretary of State agreed that “the harm by reasons of inappropriateness and all the other harm identified by the inspector in his report is not outweighed by other considerations so that the very special circumstances needed to justify the development”.

Gary Fisher, district council planning officer, said the families had until November 20 to vacate the site.

see also: The BBC - Travellers told to leave illegal site in Beausale