FAMILY MAY BE KICKED OFF GREEN BELT LAND
A YOUNG family living in a caravan could be kicked off green belt land they own near Nuneaton.
They want to continue living on the land behind houses in Coventry Road, Bulkington, for the sake of their children.
But an application submitted to the borough council seeking the go-ahead to create a more permanent caravan pitch look set to be refused.
They want to create a permanent gypsy pitch with a dayroom and car parking spaces, but planning officers are advising councillors to turn the application down.
Neighbours were asked for their views on the plans and 58 letters of objection were sent to the council.
Among the concerns raised were the site’s location on designated green belt land, highway safety issues and issues with other traveller sites in the area.
The family who have lived in a caravan on the site since April comprises a couple, and their two children, aged one and three.
The council has looked at whether the best interests of the three-year-old boy outweigh the harm that would be done to the green belt if the development was approved.
The report said: “The applicants state that since the birth of their son they have been staying at relatives, doubling up on pitches.
“Unfortunately, significant tensions began to arise due to the lack of space, placing considerable pressure on the family to find accommodation of their own and to be settled as a family.”
Their son goes to pre–school in nearby Wolvey, and will be going to primary school. He suffers from developmental issues and has been referred to the specialist speech and language department at George Eliot Hospital. The current unsettled status of the family means that they can only be temporarily registered at a doctors in Bulkington, until they can provide details of a permanent address.
Planning officers have ruled that there are no very special circumstances that would outweigh the harm to the green belt.
They are not there illegally as they own the land, but it is a breach of planning control.
They submitted the application shortly after developing the site therefore the council says it would have been unreasonable to take any planning enforcement action.
The council has acknowledged that the borough has a shortfall of gypsy and traveller provision and there is a lack of alternative sites.
However, this plan is being recommended for refusal due to its location on green belt land.
The council’s planning committee will discuss the application and make a decision at 5pm tomorrow.