Council backs travellers' site

The application to turn 6,300 square metres of land between Coomes Way and Hearnfield Road into a residential travellers' site with six permanent pitches, has prompted a backlash from the local community.

More than 30 letters of objection have been handed to Arun District Council's planning department and a petition with more than 140 signatures has been collected.

But the county council's head of planning services, Chris Cousins, has decided not to object to the proposals.

Responding to Arun's request for consultation, Mr Cousins said: "If Arun District Council is satisfied that the proposal would meet an identified local need for gypsy and traveller facilities, then West Sussex County Council would raise no strategic objection to the proposal."

Sharon Baxter, from the Birmingham-based Community Law Partnership which supports travellers with legal problems, told the Gazette that there was a desperate need for more travellers' sites in England.

She said she was pleased that the site was being considered for use by travellers and said government statistics showed there were currently more than 3,000 caravans on the roadside and illegal sites around the country.

"There is a clear and urgent need for additional sites and the effect of the lack of sites is to exacerbate ill-feeling between the travelling and the settled community.

"Most travellers don't want to pitch up on a roadside or on the village green. They want to have running water and electricity, things that we in the settled community take for granted.

"I'm pleased that this site is being considered. Councils and the government are finally realising that they can no longer ignore this problem and that to keep moving people round and round the country in never-ending circles is not a solution."

The plans were lodged by the Surrey-based developers the Milford Group which has lodged three previous failed applications to build houses on the site.

A spokesman for the group told the Gazette that the company had been approached by a family of travellers interested in buying the land.

The Milford Group were not available for comment at the time of going to print.

*What do you think? Should the developers be granted planning permission to set up the travellers' site? Visit www.littlehamptontoday.co.uk to join in our online vote.