Temporary Telford travellers site may stay open
It was meant to have shut this week – but council bosses want to keep a temporary travellers site open for another three months despite objections from residents, it has been revealed.
The site, in Snedshill near the Kiyokuni Europe building in Telford, can accommodate up to 29 caravans.
It was created two years ago as a stop-gap measure while a new permanent site was being finalised and put up at Lodge Road in Donnington. That was on the basis it would shut by Friday, with the land becoming available again for business use.
But a report due to go before Telford & Wrekin Council's planning committee says: "Planning permission was granted in December 2013 for a gipsy and traveller transit site for up to 29 caravans across 15 pitches. Planning permission was granted for a temporary two-year period with the site being returned to its previous condition by December 18, 2015.
"A full planning application has been submitted for the creation of a new gipsy and traveller transit at Lodge Road in Donnington, with the intention that the Lodge Road site will effectively replace the temporary site at Snedshill. Due to delays with the Lodge Road application coming forward this planning application seeks to extend the period before the Snedshill site must close by three months – until February 2016 – to allow the Lodge Road site to be constructed and made available."
Officers are recommending approval.
A decision will be made at a meeting of Telford & Wrekin Council's planning committee tomorrow from 6pm at the Whitehouse Hotel in Wellington.
