Traveller family gets go-ahead for permanent caravan site in Telford

Telford & Wrekin Council has approved a change of use application which will see three caravans along with a ‘dayroom amenity building’ built on the disused Granville Colliery Site near Muxton.

The site, situated against the junction of Granville Road and Lodge Road in Donnington Wood is owned by applicant Richard McDonagh.

Planning agent Trevor Mennell Planning said that the application for one static and two touring caravans on the site is for applicant Mr McDonagh and his 78-year-old mother Rebecca, ‘who is not of good health’.

“Richard’s mother recently moved from Ireland to Telford due to her poor health and Richard is her acting carer,” said the application’s design and access statement.

“She is currently registered with Donnington Medical Practice and the pair are generally on the road or stopping on sites in Shropshire of friends and relatives.

“The proposed static caravans would be for permanent residential use for Richard and his mother and the tourer caravan would enable Richard to maintain his traveller status which will remain as part of their ethnic culture and way of life.”

The applicant says that the proposed dayroom will provide space for cooking, washing and entertaining visitors.

“The Gypsy Traveller Liaison Team at both Shropshire Council and Telford & Wrekin have confirmed there are no council or private pitches available within the geographical area,” added the application.

“The site is previously developed land and the council have a distinct shortage of available pitches all of which weigh heavily in favour of allowing a settled base for Richard McDonagh and his elderly mother.”

The application received six letters of support from local residents and other businesses giving character references for Mr McDonagh.

Donnington & Muxton Parish Council objected to the scheme after raising concerns that there was no ‘suitable place’ for an entrance to the site.

They also said that the site could be contaminated due to past mining operations.

The parish council also raised concerns that mature trees on the site could be damaged and that work on the development had already begun.

Planners stated that the access has been considered by the council’s highways authority and no objections have been raised.

They added that the site was also not located within a Coal Authority high risk area.

An arboricultural report submitted with the application concluded that no trees would be impacted.

Telford & Wrekin Council approved the application with conditions, including that only one touring caravan on the site can be for residential use.

“The local planning authority considers that the proposed units of accommodation are of an acceptable quality and that the applicant has demonstrated that the site can be adequately accessed,” the council’s planning officer concluded.

“The proposed building are considered to be of an acceptable scale and design and are not considered to have a significantly detrimental impact upon the wider street scene, given the mix of building types, materials and sizes within the immediate area.

“The proposed buildings are single-storey and given the boundary treatments proposed, would not result in any issues of overlooking or loss of privacy.

“As such, [planning] officers are satisfied that the proposal will not have a significantly detrimental impact upon the amenity of neighbouring properties.”