Traveller site plans for static homes and land for horses are withdrawn
Plans for a traveller site on agricultural land have been withdrawn following a flurry of objections from residents.
The scheme for five static homes at Heartlands Farm near Penley, around three miles north-east of Ellesmere, was abandoned amid concerns from residents around access and flooding on the site, which currently houses a stable block and is used for keeping horses.
The applicant, Kathryn Roberts, had applied for permission to adopt a mixed use for both the keeping of horses and use as a residential caravan site “for an extended Gypsy family”. The plan also included a permanent amenity building, four small utility blocks and hardstanding areas.
A supporting statement prepared on behalf of the applicant said the site would help Shropshire Council to meet obligations to the accommodation needs of travellers.
“Unlike residential caravans generally, gypsy caravan sites are an exception in the countryside and Government policy is generally supportive,” it said.
“Some degree of visual impact must be accepted and if an adequate supply of gypsy sites is to be provided, some degree of visual harm must be acceptable.”
“There is clearly an unmet need for gypsy and traveller sites in Shropshire, a lack of alternative sites, and the council cannot demonstrate a five-year supply of deliverable land.”
However, the application had attracted a number of objections from local residents on several grounds, including the position of the site in relation to historic flooding and the suitability of the area’s infrastructure for the development.
Welshampton and Lyneal Parish Council also objected, saying the development would “dominate” the hamlet of Hampton Wood.
A letter from property consultants Fisher German, penned on behalf of a group of ten residents said the proposed development would appear “highly prominent” and “incongruous.”
“The crux of the objection is that the development is within the countryside in an unsustainable location,” said Nial Cassenden on behalf of the firm.
“The site is isolated and has no nearby access to everyday services and facilities. The site would be described as a relatively large development compared to the character of the surrounding area and the proposal will dominant the local area to an unacceptable degree.”
The application attracted 39 public comments, of which 36 were objections and three were in support of the scheme.
The application was withdrawn on December 20.
