Traveller family to be given six months to leave land after final bid for permanent site on green belt rejected
A family of travellers have been told they will have to leave their site after councillors rejected their application to stay on a pitch on the green belt.
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At a meeting on Tuesday, Shropshire Council’s southern planning committee voted to reject a family's bid to stay on a patch of green belt land in Tong Forge in Shifnal.
The same committee had agreed to approve 12-month temporary permission for the privately-owned traveller site in April last year, in order for other potential sites to be explored and for the council's Local Plan to progress.
The Quinn family have been on the site since late 2021, and their bid to remain has attracted much support from the surrounding community.
The original application gained letters of support from local businesses, friends, sports clubs, Shifnal Primary School, the parish church and even the local postman.
The latest application attracted similar support, with 13 locals backing the plan and dubbing the Quinn family as being "valued members of the Shifnal".
But Shropshire Council's planning officers ruled the development was "inappropriate" and said there were alternative sites available outside of the green belt.
At the meeting, they told the councillors that an alternative site, three miles north of the land in Tong Forge, had been identified.
Attending the meeting, applicant Mr Quinn spoke about the discrimination faced by the traveller community and urged the committee to grant him and his family permission to stay.
Committee member, Councillor Nigel Lumby said: "I heard what Mr Quinn said and I have some sympathy, but the reality is this is Green Belt, and the reality is green belt is virtually sacrosanct.
"An alternative site has been found, and I will be going with the officer's recommendation."
Councillor Boddington agreed: "I do have a lot of sympathy, however, sites have been identified outside of the green belt that are suitable. If there is an option then I believe we should refuse the permission."
The application was refused after a unanimous vote.
As part of the officer's recommendation, an enforcement notice will be issued requiring the site to be vacated and reinstated to its former condition within a prescribed period of six months.
