Travellers on green belt told they can stay - but not for long

Several families have been living on land next to Hillcrest Cafe, off the Great North Road at South Milford but faced eviction when Selby Council took enforcement action.

A representative of the travellers, John Taylor, appealed against the council’s refusal to grant planning permission for a residential caravan park.

Now, following a public inquiry, a Government inspector, backed by Secretary of State, Bob Neill, has decided that the camp can stay, but only until December 31 2014.

The inspector also ruled that the number of caravans must now be reduced to 10 - five pitches in total. The ruling has supported the council in preventing the site being used for trading. It was claimed that caravan sales had taken place.

Locals have welcomed the decision, seeing it as a vindication of the council’s decision to take action.

They are also happy that the camp will eventually be removed from the green belt.

Conservative councillor John Mackman said it would protect the green belt in the longer term as the land would have to be put back to the way it was.

“In this particular case, the decision of the Secretary of State to grant a time limited temporary planning permission is, in the circumstances, a good result for local communities and parish councils who were very concerned that this area of green belt could be permanently harmed by this unauthorised development,” he said.

“Local authorities, including Selby District Council, have to make provision for permanent sites for gipsies and travellers through their local plans.

“However, these should not be in the green belt unless very special circumstances can be demonstrated which clearly outweigh the harm to the green belt.

“The use as a gipsy and traveller site is for a limited period, only until December 31 2014. At the end of this period the use as a traveller site has to cease and the land restored to its original condition.

“Selby Council, as a local planning authority, are aware of their responsibility to provide for gipsies and travellers in suitable locations and appropriate sites are being sought through the emerging local plans.

“Granting temporary permissin has clearly protected the green belt in the longer term and given time for the authorities to provide regulated sites in suitable locations.

“This is a good result and a balanced decision. The Secretary of State had a difficult decision to make.”

And the Selby and Ainsty Conservative MP Nigel Adams said: “I think this sends out the right message; the Government has backed the council in saying that illegal sites on the green belt should not be allowed to go ahead.

“We have previously had some pretty lax enforcement, nationally. This sends out absolutely the right message that there should be no special treatment.”

Mr Adams said residents had telephoned to thank him for supporting their opposition to the gipsy site.

“I am pleased that the Secretary of State has listened to the concerns of local people and the council and upheld Selby Council’s decision to take enforcement action.”

One local resident, who asked not to be named, said: “This was about obeying the planning rules, which must apply to everybody equally.

“This is not about the locally community versus the travellers. In many respects, if we have to have these sites, this location is as good a place as any. I suppose the Secretary of State has taken a look at the circumstances of the travelling families, schools and everything, and taken a humane view, which is not wrong.”

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