Row after Gypsy site is given the green light - Devon

From the Plymouth Herald

A ROW has broken out between Plympton councillors and South Hams planning bosses after a new Gypsy encampment was given the green light.

According to public records at South Hams District Council, Ronald Reilly, of Plymouth, made an application for change of use of land at Ridge Road, Plympton, on January 15, 2013, to turn the triangle of land, Dead Oak Farm, into a “private Gypsy and Traveller caravan site” for four pitches.

The land, which was formerly home to a telecommunications mast, is adjacent to the A38 and sits at the junction of Ridge Road and Plympton Hill, opposite the entrance of Vinery Lane.

The application requested approval for “four permanent Traveller pitches” for the applicant and his extended family, as well as the siting of two amenity blocks, one with disabled facilities, and a community day room.

Documentation showed that South Hams council did not “formally consult” Plymouth City Council, but revealed that “informal discussion with officers reflect the recognition expressed by DCC [Devon County Council] that there is a need for such sites that cannot be met and in the absence of alternative provision or allocation, Ridge Road is deemed suitable.”

The application was approved by South Hams Council on December 12, 2013.

Plympton councillors have now responded with fury, claiming they were completely unaware of the application, just yards across the border with their wards, until contacted by The Herald, and claim that constituents would have wanted to have their voice heard in the decision-making process.

Councillors Terri Beer and Ian Darcy, who represent residents in Plympton, said in a joint statement: “We are deeply disappointed that there appears to have been some consultation with Plymouth City Council Planning department regarding this application and yet ward councillors – and certainly our residents – were deprived of having a voice.

“Just where is the democracy?

“I thought it would be good manners for South Hams just to email us and advise us that this application was going before their planning committee in December 2013, because at least we could have asked to address their committee with our concerns and we are better placed to highlight any pitfalls through our previous experience.

“In the Plympton Erle Ward we have already three Gypsy Traveller sites that were granted permission through retrospective planning applications. This includes 10 pitches in total.”

In 2009 councillors and residents were outraged after Alfred and Peter Reilly made a retrospective planning application after they bought and placed two plots on land in Ridge Road, inside Plympton, near the junction with Drunken Bridge Hill. The pair told The Herald they had moved from Plymouth council’s only official gypsy site, The Ride, claiming the land was a “health risk”, regularly flooded and there was “no space for children”.

Despite turning down the application, Plymouth City Council was forced to accept it by a Government planning inspector following appeal.

A spokesman for South Hams District Council said: “There is a recognised shortage of provision in South Hams for authorised gypsy and Traveller sites which the planning authority is required to address. During determination of the planning application at Ridge Road, Devon County Council was formally consulted and offered their support. The site does not overlap into Plymouth city and as a consequence the city council was not formally consulted.

“However in the context of informal discussion with Plymouth City Council planning officers, recognition of need was recognised and suitability of Ridge Road South as a location was confirmed. South Hams District ward members did not raise objection and certain concerns raised by the Parish Council were subsequently addressed by way of planning conditions.

“One letter of objection was received from a local resident together with a letter of objection from the local MP.

“Neither letter raised objections on the basis of planning issues.

“A further letter was received from the developer of the Sherford site relating to application content. Overall, the Local Planning Authority consider that their duty to consult has been properly undertaken and that approval of the application, subject to planning conditions, was in conformity with the provisions of the Development Plan.

“All information regarding this application can be found on the council’s website.”