Traveller pitches plan approved after 'inappropriate' outburst from councillor
Plans for a two-pitch traveller site have been approved – after planners described objection comments from one local councillor as “inappropriate”.
The plan proposed by applicant Mr Harry Toogood will see a change of use for a parcel of land near the A529 in Woodseaves, near Market Drayton, with two hard-standing pitches created along with an amenity building and a sewage treatment plant.
Supporting documents provided by the applicant said the family had “strong local connections” with the area, with the site earmarked to provide permanent residential accommodation for one traveller family who currently live on a temporary site elsewhere in the county.
Planning officers had recommended the plans for approval, following the earlier rejection of a planned bungalow for the site.
Councillors at a meeting of the council’s Northern Planning Committee heard there had been local opposition to the scheme, with 42 objections received during the consultation process.
Sutton Parish Council had concerns that vehicle access to the site would exacerbate problems at what they said was an already dangerous location, while the scale and appearance of the proposals would be inappropriate for the area.
But the committee was told to “disregard completely” comments from Cheswardine unitary councillor Rob Gittins, who said a gypsy site was being “dumped” on the village.
“Could I ask members to take a step back and think about the morality of passing such an awful application?” he said.
“Just around the corner from this site I’ve desperately been trying for a number of years now to help a local young man in his 20s to obtain planning permission for a local needs dwelling which officers firmly reject time and time again.
“How can it be right that the average tax-paying citizen can’t obtain planning permission?
“But officers obviously feel it’s ok to dump a gypsy site right in the heart of a local community. Residents could, and quite rightly, say they are being discriminated against just because they are of non-gypsy origin.”
Councillor Gittins left the meeting, having earlier declared a non-registerable conflict of interest, leaving chair Councillor Vince Hunt to instruct the committee to “disregard completely the comment about ‘dumping a gypsy site'”, which he described as “not proper, inappropriate”.
Planning agent Trevor Mennell told the committee there was a lack of alternative traveller sites available in the county, while the family’s personal circumstances added “significant weight” to the application.
A report by the council’s planning officer supported the scheme, with case officer John Shaw recommending it for approval.
“Though some very limited visual and landscape harm has been identified, the site is in a suitable location for a gypsy and traveller pitch due to the good level of accessibility occupiers would enjoy when travelling to and from local settlements,” he said.
The committee approved the plans, with seven members in favour and two abstentions.
