Planning permission for traveller site???

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lucy16

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Travellers have bought a paddock in the area, put a mobile home on it and put hardstanding on half the paddock.
Have now applied for planning permission for the mobile home plus another caravan and a brick building the size of a small bungalow.
Can someone give me ideas for good objections to this plannning application, I don't think 'I'm worried about the safety and health of my horses' is a going to do much....

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Planning permission can be granted by (usually) your district council. they have predetermined guidelines and policies to adhere to, the final decison being made by a committe of local councillors.

The best starting point for you is the 'Local Development Framework' for your district, also find out what the parish council view is.
 
Councils usually pretty aware of what travellers are up to - although often takes them ages to be able to stop them living on the land. We are near Pangbourne, and travellers bought a local field, and a large number of them then took up residence on it - and strangely, the crime rate in the area increased vastly. Their application for residence there was turned down, and eventually I think the council had to get an injunction to get them out - although they did finally manage it. Best thing you can do is to send in an objection to the application - you can usually do it online now so v easy - and try to be very logical and specific - if you can object on the grounds of spoiling a rutral area with development, or access - so their drive might be in a hazardous place for traffic - or not being in keeping with any local village plan etc, then it is better than just saying you are scared all your tack/trailer might get nicked:-) good luck!
 
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If they're travellers why would they want to root themselves in one particular place?

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That is always a question I ask myself!!

First thing, is the area classed as brownfield or greenfield? If, as so often happens,it is greenfield, then they will be turned down anyhow. Getting them to leave could be a whole seperate issue.
If it is brownfield, then, as said above, you must find any sensible objections, such as the access - is it safe for the number of vehicles expected (I think they give 4 1/2 vehicles per home allowing for deliveries and visitors), any sewage issues, such things as this.
Good luck.
 
I would love to build a house on our paddock but I know for a fact that I would never get permission.
Why is it that these 'travelling' communities can?
I know they will often build the house then apply for planning retrospectively and then it is granted.
Incidentally there is a website (funded by the National Lottery!) that informs travellers how they can apply for permission retrospectively www.travellerstimes.org.uk - Oooh don't get me started!!

Ok rant over.
 
I think a few tons of cowshite and a spreader is a pretty good objection, they take no notice what so ever of any planning agreements.
 
whereabouts are you ? might help us decide on an angle for objection if we know who your council is. What a horrible situation :confused
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the other prob is the travellers have access to free legal costs so they go right up to appeal and judicial review with no risk or downside for themselves!

we had a case recently near us that went right up to the Sec of State. The best objections are the non personal ones, the ones that are valid planning stuff eg especially flood plains, dangerous access, lack of local services and difficulty of laying them on, protection status of land etc. Flooding risk is the best one cos it presents a danger to the residents themselves so planners wont allow that without a lot of protection work and only if that wouldnt affect those 'downstream'.

The problem is that local authorities sometimes have a policy that if they dont have official site places for all these people, they wont evict them from illegal camps. Of course the numbers are unlimited since theres no definition of what a G&T is other than the self defined one!! And the more illegal sites they regularise by giving permission to, the fewer extra ones they will then have to provide by 2011 (your local regional assembly has or will be giving quotas for lots of extra new pitches (2 or more caravans per pitch) to your local authority.

To an extent G&Ts have been corralled into settling on one place by councils who dont want them settling illegally in temporary camps everywhere. But sadly the official sites I lived near owned by the council were so badly controlled the police would not even go into them without helicopter and armed backup. and they wonder why we didnt want the increases in sites they proposed!

Just a warning, greenfield status in itself will NOT prevent them getting permission because of their special 'ethnic' status, so dont rely on that alone.

Speak to the local authoritys Gypsy and Traveller liaison officer (or similar title), they will be able to give you background and info (tho dont expect them to be neutral even tho they are council official if my experience is anythin to go by!)

They will probably claim they want to settle because of illness or schoolin for the children, thats the thing that bugged me cos in our area even amonst the settled travellers, only 10% of the over 11s were even registered at a school, even less for the girls (council figures), so if the same is true in your area you may be able to challenge that reason if it is presented.

good luck
 
Thanks for that, some good advice there. The annoying thing is that this family has been living in a council house rent free for the last 10 years!!! (it even states this in their application!)

And of course everybody is frightened so no one wants to object to this proposal!

Will the council accept objections from anonymous residents, do you think?
 
TBH I think anything is worth a try. I can't believe any council actually wants these people around ( they have to provide a quota of sites though as directed by the government ) and if there are objections locally it is another weight to the argument of rejecting their application and hopefully placing them somewhere else, preferably next to Gordon Brown's home.

You could always state in your letter that you don't wish to give your name as you are worried about repercussions.
 
is the area in outstanding natural beauty, does it have an impact on the enviroment, Councils dont like people who ruin the enviroment, try this avenue also the pollution they may cause is also a good one.
 
Gypsy & Traveller liaison officer ... Beggars belief that some Pikey done good now has an inside non-job to make excuses for blatant taking of the Michaels
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mmmm I would say it is a good idea to have a G&T liaison officer as it is a single point of contact.

Unfortunately having dealt with one for the past 2-3 years, they seemed to have misunderstood their role of being a neutral interface and promoter of good behaviour and relations!

they were totally controlled by the residents of the G&T site and took their part shamelessly even where criminal behaviour was involved.......

it was a real pity.

I didnt have a prob with them being a gypsy cos you could say it was unfair either way, to us if they were a gypsy or to them if they werent, but I did have a problem with their partisan approach and ineffectiveness.
 
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