Fears as Gypsy church plan recommended for approval in Eyres Monsell - Leicestershire

From the Leicester Mercury

Plans to build a Gypsy church look likely to go ahead, despite more than 1,000 objections.

City council planning officers have recommended approval of plans for the former Aylestone Park FC site, in Eyres Monsell. The application goes before the planning committee on Wednesday.

If approved, the 3,700m sq plot, which is being leased by the Travellers, would include a church and the existing car park.

In total, 974 residents have signed petitions opposing the Life and Light Gypsy Church, which would be closest to homes in Dorset Avenue, South Wigston.

A further 177 have signed letters of objection highlighting their concerns about "big, fat Gypsy weddings", similar to those featured in the Channel Four documentaries.

But Jackie Boyd, the church's spokesman and spiritual leader, said his congregation bore no resemblance to people on the Channel 4 show.

"We're nothing like Big Fat Gypsy Wedding," he said. "Unfortunately, we're famous for the wrong reasons – infamous.

"What you see on these TV programmes is the worst of us – and they do exist, but it's car crash TV.

"It's like someone watching Jeremy Kyle and assuming everyone in England is like that.

"It's a wonder it ever got to this stage with the amount of objections, but I'm really glad it has. I can't do or say anything at the minute which will change people's minds about us. I just hope time will allay any fears people have."

Residents have expressed concerns about excess traffic and parking, noise, litter, crime, the effect on house prices and the impact of large events held at the site.

South Wigston ward councillor John Boyce said the strength of feeling against the plans would be evident at the public committee meeting, which will be held at the Town Hall.

He said: "I would expect a fair number of residents to turn up on Wednesday."

Coun Boyce said the objections were not about Travellers moving on to the site.

"The fact of it is, it's an inappropriate development on that site," he said. "It has nothing to do with the applicants. The area just does not need another place of worship – there are a dozen churches nearby already."

Council planning inspectors are in agreement with Coun Boyce about the number of churches in the area.

However, the recommendation document states that bringing the former club house back into use is more important than residents' concerns about the number of churches.

In it, the planning inspector states: "I consider such a location appropriate for a place of worship."

The church would occupy the club house and car park.

The former football pitches have already been earmarked for an extension to Saffron Hill cemetery and would not be included in the site.

Although the nearest homes are in South Wigston, the application site is in Leicester.

The proposal will also go before an Oadby and Wigston Borough planning committee next Thursday. Officers there have also recommended it be approved.

The city council's planning and development control committee will meet at the Town Hall, on Wednesday, January 29, at 5.30pm.

A second meeting will be held at the Oadby and Wigston council offices on Thursday, January 30, at 7pm.