Plans agreed to extend Gypsy and Traveller site at Oakdene in Woodgate Lane in Borden - Kent

from Kent Online

Plans have been approved for an additional caravan at a Gypsy and Traveller site in Borden.It will be housed on land at Oakdene in Woodgate Lane.

It means there will be two mobile homes and a touring caravan on the site. Swale council’s planning committee gave the go ahead for the proposal at a meeting on Thursday night.

It had been deferred to ascertain the number of children on the site and their ages.
It was found the applicant, Miss Sally Laundon, has four youngsters aged two to eight, and the extra accommodation is planned as an indoor play area and toy storage space.

Residents opposed to the proposal said the positioning of the new caravan would create a “dangerous steep slope” on the land.

Borden Parish Council also raised concerns about the distance between the two mobile homes - approximately 24-metres- should children be sleeping in one of them.

But planning officers, in recommending the application for approval, said the caravans were quite close together.
In his report, case officer, Andrew Spiers, said the site, which was granted permanent planning permission two years ago, was well maintained and landscaped.

Speaking at Thursday’s meeting, Cllr Andrew Booth (Con) representative for Minster Cliffs ward, questioned the site’s long-term sustainability.

He said he had “grave concerns for the safety and security of the residents of this new dwelling.”My conscience says I can’t support it,” he said.

Seven members voted in favour of the proposal, with four against it and five abstentions.