Plans for a Gypsy caravan park between Winsford and Middlewich were rejected in order to stop it from causing severe damage to the appearance and character of the countryside.
Cheshire West and Chester Council requested to alter the usage of land along Coalpit Lane to create a site with the capacity of 10 caravans.
The approval was requested for the caravan site to permit an entire family comprising seven Romany Gypsy households to live in harmony with their traditional way of living.
On October 21, the council denied approval for the plan, stating that there was no evidence that the importance of the pitches outweighed the harm they could cause.
When notifying people who applied for the permit, a council spokesperson declared: “The development would not be well related to existing settlements, does not require a countryside location and would cause significant harm to the character and appearance of the open countryside, resulting in an alien feature which fails to integrate into the landscape character of the area.
“There is no evidence to demonstrate the need for these pitches which outweighs the harm.”
“The development would fail to provide safe pedestrian access and would not be accessible to local services and facilities by walking or public transport.”
“The local planning authority has sought to work with the applicant positively and proactively.”
“However, it has not been possible to secure a development that will improve the economic, social and environmental conditions of the area.”
The plan was to construct concrete foundations to accommodate up to 6 static caravans, one residential touring caravan, and additional storage space to accommodate three touring caravans.
A planning statement, made on behalf of applicants, reads: “Permission is sought on behalf of an extended family comprising seven households.
“The caravans would all be arranged around the edge of the land with a circular grassed amenity area in the middle to provide a play area for all the children.
“A bin store would be sited just inside the gateway, and there would be room for a refuse lorry to access the site and turn within the site if required.
“Consent is sought for a Gypsy Traveller site on land outside any settlement boundary in the countryside between Middlewich and Winsford for an extended family who wants to live together in accordance with their traditional way of life.
“The family want to settle on their own site so they have their own pitches they can return to when not traveling. At present, if they leave to go traveling, they can never be sure there will be a pitch available for them when they return.
“They also want to settle for security of tenure and to ensure they have access to proper facilities.
“At present several families are doubling up or living on substandard cramped sites which have presented real concerns during the Covid-19 pandemic.”
There is a period of six months starting on October 21 to contest the decision.
Do you believe there are more considerate ways to meet the housing needs of the Romany Gypsy community while safeguarding the countryside’s appearance? Exploring sustainable and culturally suitable housing options could be a way forward.