Caergwrle Gypsy and Traveller site plans refused by councillors

Plans for a Gypsy and Traveller site in Flintshire have been refused due to concerns over how it would impact the countryside. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

A partly retrospective application was submitted in October last year to allow Edward Purcell and his family to live on a site at Rhyddyn Hill in Caergwrle. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The proposals for two static caravan pitches and two day rooms were considered by councillors last week, approximately two years after they first moved onto the land. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

A senior official from Flintshire Council had recommended permission should be given to allow the facilities to be retained. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

However, the scheme was rejected by the majority of councillors on the local authority’s planning committee after neighbours and community leaders raised objections. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Speaking at the virtual meeting, Dale May, who owns a nearby caravan park, warned that giving the go ahead could cause upset among local residents. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

He said: “The size of the applicant’s site has grown considerably since the last static caravan was there years ago. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“This is therefore a new development on green belt (land), not a change of use. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“Supporting this development would damage further the relationship between the Travellers, local residents and the local authority because we believe the location is wholly unsuitable. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“Not all the residents and some councillors have been able to express their objections openly. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“Flintshire Council and Welsh Government need to address this failure in the planning system – please refuse the application.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The site is located in an area of open countryside and was previously used to house a single static caravan. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

After it was vacated by the former owners, the land was targeted by fly-tippers who left a large amount of rubbish behind. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Andrew Farrow, the council’s chief planning officer, said the waste had since been cleared and the site would provide “an appropriate location for a permanent home”. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

His recommendation was backed by Trevor Mennell, an agent acting on behalf of Mr Purcell. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

He said: “The site is a small family site of two pitches, which was previously occupied by an unauthorised caravan which became vacant, was untidy and there was a lot of fly-tipping on site. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“The site was subsequently tidied up by the applicant to the gratitude of neighbours and the local councillors a like. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“The children currently attend the local school and the college and the family are very settled within the local community.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

But councillors said they were worried about the impact on the countryside, as well as raising concerns over sewage and gas supply issues. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Cllr Mike Peers said: “The issue we have here is we all want the Gypsy and Traveller community to have a settled base, but I think the consensus is that we need to have one in a location that doesn’t impact the countryside if possible. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“We have Gwern Lane and there’s this application – where next? ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“I would hope the Gypsy and Traveller site community can find some sites that are sustainable and don’t impact on the countryside.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The proposals were refused by eleven votes to three at the end of the debate. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Liam Randall – Local Democracy Reporter (more here). ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

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