Potton Town Council on Gypsy and Traveller pitches - Bedfordshire

From Biggleswade Today

Potton Town Council has published a news release on its website opposing the creation of new pitches at two Gypsy and Traveller sites.

Central Beds Council is currently writing its Gypsy and Traveller Local Plan. At a meeting last Tuesday (January 14) the council proposed almost doubling the number of pitches at the existing Potton site, increasing the number from 14 to 27, but removing the potential Site 58 near Potton and Gamlingay Heath from the plan.

The councillors also agreed that pitches at the potential Site 55 south of Dunton Lane, Biggleswade should be replaced by the nearby Site 26.

Potton Town Council’s news update says: “The town council and DLP planning consultants [who were asked by Potton Town Council and adjacent parish councils to make an independent assessment of the suitability of these sites] will continue to argue that Sites 55, 26 and 58 are unsuitable for development and will oppose any plan to expand the existing Common Road site.

“Whilst it is welcomed that Site 58 could be removed from the shortlist, Potton Town Council remains totally opposed to the expansion of the existing site.

“When the site was extended in 1990 it became totally unmanageable and major issues occurred which led to its notoriety making the national press.

“Subsequently in 1996, at great expense to the taxpayer, Mid Beds District Council completely refurbished the site and reduced the number of pitches to 14.

“Since those times there has been a more harmonious relationship between the residents of the site and the community of Potton, which we do not want compromised.”

The town council adds that Central Beds Council stated its preference for smaller sites of around five pitches and the Potton site would be much larger.