Gipsy plan at Burghill is rejected

10:02am Thursday 22nd May 2008

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TRAVELLERS have had plans to set up home near Burghill refused.

A restrospective application to turn agricultural land at The Birches Stables into a residential site for two families was turned down last week.

Planning officers had recommended approval for the plan, on condition the land reverted to agricultural use should the applicants, James Smith and Jimmy Smith, who run a landscaping business from the site, leave.

But councillors backed ward Councillor Sally Robertson, who said the countryside would be adversly affected and traffic would increase on a congested road nearby.

Permission was granted to a previous owner in 2006 on condition that better access to the site was provided but that was not done before the land was sold to the new applicants this year.

A letter of support was received from the former vice-chairman of the National Gipsy Council confirming the gipsy status of the families.

The matter was referred back to planning services.