Travellers’ application to build on pony paddock

Site was occupied illegally before legal fight

TRAVELLERS who won an appeal to stay on land they had previously occupied illegally have applied to develop the site.

The family are seeking planning permission to build two day rooms to cater for the pair of mobile homes on the former pony paddock north west of Cold Comfort Farm, Rogues Lane, Hinckley.

Lighting, fencing and a new access off the lane to the farm are also proposed.

The application follows a decision by a Government planning inspector to allow the four travellers, Michael Cash, his wife and her parents, to remain on the site for five years.

The official agreed the site was unsustainable and impacted adversely on the rural area but said the pregnancy of Mrs Cash with the rights of the unborn child, the lack of alternative locations for the family and a failure by the borough council to show a five year supply of traveller pitches outweighed these considerations.

Conditions were imposed as part of the legal ruling.

One was that the family should submit details of the area to be used for accommodation, as well as any details for external lighting, fencing, drainage, landscaping and hard surfacing.

A timetable for the implementation of the works was also demanded.

Another condition stipulated information should be supplied on the scheme for restoration of the site when the five year resi- dency limit expires.

The development application has been validated by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council but is yet to be determined by members of the planning committee.

The land is under the ownership of Mr Cash who purchased the pony paddock with existing electricity and stables knowing he had to vacate his previous site in March last year.

While Mr Cash might be the landholder, as with any development, a planning application and approval of building proposals as well as change of use were required for him to use the site for caravan pitches.

Applications which were previously submitted to the borough council were turned down on visual impact and highways safety grounds.

The last official bid was withdrawn on June 30 2015, a day before it was due to be heard by planning committee councillors.

It had again been recommended for refusal by council officers in a report to members.

Two days later the family arrived with caravans and the council imposed a temporary stop notice.

A county court injunction granting a temporary stop notice was obtained to halt any development on the site.

The council later gained a full stop notice and enforcement order.

However in September last year a county court judge refused to grant an injunction requiring the travellers to move on as they had appealed the enforcement notice.