New move to house travelling showpeople
Oswestry's former waste recycling centre could soon have a new lease of life – as a home for travelling showpeople.
As well as providing a permanent home for the showpeople, the move will also help Shropshire Council address a shortage of pitches for gipsies and travellers in the county.
A planning application by Shropshire Council would, if approved, allow a family of showpeople to have a permanent home where they could base their five caravans and trailers.
The application to regenerate the former recycling centre at Glovers Meadow on Maesbury Road is part of a project by Shropshire Council to develop gipsy and traveller pitches at three council owned sites in the county.
A statement in support of the bid said: "As a result of the gipsy and traveller accommodation assessment conducted nationally from 2008, a shortfall in the number of pitches for gipsy and travellers, including travelling showpeople, was identified in certain locations within the county.
"The council has a duty to provide allocated land to meet these needs county wide.
"Land at Glovers Meadow has been identified and promoted as a suitable site for longer term accommodation for the travelling showpeople and their caravans and trailers, and application is now being made for a change of use of the former household waste and recycling centre site off Glovers Meadow for this purpose.
"Shropshire Council has recently submitted an application to Homes and Communities Agency through the Affordable Homes Programme for funding towards development of additional pitches at three existing council owned sites in the county."
Planners hope to determine the application by November 15.
