Fears for green belt as more gipsy sites
planned

PARISH councillors have urged a West Yorkshire local authority to create new caravan pitches for gipsy and traveller families on land with good access to schools and shops – and not on green belt land.

Leeds Council is in the process of looking for suitable sites to allow travelling families to stop so as to reduce the number of unauthorised encampments which have caused misery for residents and cost thousands to clean up.

The authority wants to find several sites which can accommodate up to 15 families per site.

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Previously published council reports on the issue have led to confusion about how many pitches and sites are actually needed.

The authority has now moved to clarify what it is intending to do – and has also told parish councillors that it cannot rule out the use of some green belt land, although brownfield sites will be sought as a first priority.

A consultation document to be discussed by Leeds councillors on Tuesday, August 7, says that the wording in future documents should be made clear to avoid confusion between the immediate search for new pitches and the longer term search for sites.

Parish councillors have told the city council that they would not welcome sites for travellers on green belt land.

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Aberford and District Parish Council has written to the council to say that “only brownfield land with good (not reasonable) access to public transport, health care, schools, shops and local services should be allocated for this purpose. Not green belt or greenfield.”

The chairman of the parish council, Coun David Howson, told the Yorkshire Post: “We would not be in favour of traveller sites in our village – they cost a fortune to clean up.”

He praised Romany families, saying he had witnessed first hand how they tidied up their camping areas but he claimed that some travelling families had left behind piles of rubbish.

“Fellow parish councils are dead against it (new sites) because of the mess that is left.”

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Leeds Council officials have made it clear that using Green Belt land for sites cannot be ruled out.

The authority’s response in the consultation document to Abeford Parish Council’s concerns states that green belt can be used in exceptional circumstances.

The council report says: “Brownfield is first priority. Government guidance – Planning Policy for traveller sites March 2012 – allows for local authorities to make an exceptional limited alteration to the defined green belt boundary (which might be to accommodate a site inset within the green belt) to meet a specific, identified need for a traveller site through the plan making process.”

Members of Morley Town Council have expressed support for the proposals for new pitches for travelling families.

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Town council members have told the city council that a site with a small number of pitches would be better than “one massive one”. Consultation with gipsies and travellers has indicated a strong preference for small sites, so they are suitable for small family groups.

The extension of the existing site at Cottingley Springs is not favoured, according to the council.

The consultation document concludes: “It may not be possible to identify sites without considering exceptional and limited alterations to the green belt boundary.

“Alternatives will be explored before green belt locations are considered.”

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It adds: “Alterations to the green belt boundary to accommodate sites will only be considered in exceptional circumstances, to meet a specific identified need.”

The most pressing issue, says the council, will be finding places for Leeds-based “roadside families” who have been assessed as needing 12 pitches.