Objections after Wakefield council considers site for Travellers

From the Yorkshire Evening Post

RESIDENTS have raised concerns after Wakefield Council confirmed land off Durkar Low Lane at Durkar is among sites being considered for Travellers.

Hundreds of people from Durkar, Crigglestone, Kettlethorpe and Sandal have staged a protest against the proposals.

They gathered near the site on Wednesday this week to make their concerns known about the impact they say the site would have on house prices, businesses, traffic and crime.

The Crigglestone and Durkar Residents’ Association is among those fighting the plans, which have yet to be submitted to Wakefield Council’s planning committee.

And Coun Lawrence Kirkpatrick (Lab, Wakefield Rural) said residents have his backing.

Father-or-three, Daniel Ball, 37, of Kenton Drive, said: “As people who pay into a parish council, as well as council tax, it should be voted by the people who pay into and live within that parish.

“Durkar has no recreational areas for children. The local football team has to play at Newmillerdam.

“People have paid good money to come and live in Durkar and everybody knows what will happen to the area if this idea is allowed to go ahead.

“The local primary school is already oversubscribed, and its only going to get worse. We are going to fight this all the way.”

The council said it is obliged to provide Gypsy and Traveller pitches under their local development framework.”

Former Wakefield Mayor Norman Hazell, Sandal, said: “There is overwhelming support for the campaign against these proposals,”

Coun Denise Jeffery, deputy leader of Wakefield Council, said: “We are in the process of looking at potential sites, including land at Durkar.

“Nothing has yet been decided. A report will go to cabinet in the New Year.”