Eric Pickles overturns Gypsy camp ruling on St Mary's Platt plot - Kent

From the Sevenoaks Chronicles

COMMUNITIES Secretary Eric Pickles has overruled recommendations by the Planning Inspectorate and refused an appeal for a permanent Gypsy site in St Mary’s Platt.

The decision, which follows a public inquiry into the application by a family group of eight Irish Travellers to make the land north east of Askew Bridge on the A25 a permanent base, has brought relief to residents after years of concern.

While consideration was given to the family’s personal circumstances, including the illness of one family member requiring a liver transplant and the educational needs of the children and grandchildren on site, Mr Pickles deemed harm to the green belt to be too significant.

Planning caseworker Richard Watson said: “The Secretary of State agreed with the inspector that the personal circumstances of the appellant and her family, including the best interests of

the children, carry substantial weight in favour of the proposal.

“However, unlike the inspector, he does not consider this, in itself, is sufficient to outweigh the harm done to the green belt and other harms to comprise the very special circumstances necessary to justify the appeal proposal.”

Mr Pickles has now given the Doran family twelve months to find alternative accommodation.

In response to the news, Platt Parish Council chairman Pat Darby said: “We have had grave reservations and so it’s a relief for us.

“I think the uncertainty is over and after all this time, I think it’s the right decision; we never felt that it was a suitable location for any sort of dwelling.

“It’s sad because everyone has to have somewhere to live, but houses wouldn’t be allowed there for the same reasons.”

The Doran family were granted two years’ temporary permission to remain on the site in April 2010.

This was on the basis that they would move to public pitches being made available at Coldharbour Lane Caravan Site in Maidstone, but they have since rejected the proposal, citing potential clashes with other Travellers

and travel patterns in breach of Kent County Council’s tenancy

agreements.

The latest planning application proposes to increase the size of the dwelling to two mobile homes, two touring caravans, one day room and one utility room.

Mrs Darby added: “We’ve been patient and I hope the family feel they have been given a fair opportunity and accept this decision.”

“They call themselves Travellers, but they have been there for years and they have never moved so I think their lifestyle must be changing.

“It has been an intrusion and it’s hard because particularly since the inquiry began in February last year, there has been very little that can be done to stop anything happening.

“That’s their way of life, but comes at a cost for local people and this decision means that now we can start moving on.”

Mr Pickles’ decision is final unless the family mounts a valid challenge in the courts within 28 days.

The family’s agent, Brian Woods of WS Planning & Architecture, did not want to comment.