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New gypsy site has no support
VILLAGERS, councillors and travelling people themselves say they do not want the council's choice for a new gypsy site – which has been described as being "like a concentration camp".
Due to health and safety fears over possible leeching gases, East Riding of Yorkshire Council wants to use 1.4 million to replace Bridlington's Woldgate travellers' site which is on top of an old landfill area.
Their alternative is a larger area – the busy Grindale Lane country road – which is part of the council's network of scenic tourists routes.
But locals and those in neighbouring villages who use the route, and residents of Bridlington's nearby New Pasture Lane estate, say it is a nonsense to put it there.
Two local East Riding councillors, Bridlington town councillors and even the Woldgate travellers themselves are against the idea and say the council should look elsewhere for a replacement.
Bridlington Town Council's planning committee has rejected the plan as conflicting with the Wolds landscape on a designated scenic route and it would not give travellers what they need.
They said travellers themselves claim it would isolate them from shops, schools, public transport and medical and other services and there are no facilities for keeping horses.
"It would most likely have a dangerous impact on the traveller children who attend local schools," said their letter of objection.
East Riding councillor Geoff Pickering, whose ward includes the existing Woldgate site, said he had met with travellers representatives who made it clear they did not want it.
"I have not found anyone who wants the site off Grindale Road. It is too far away from the hospital, schools and shops and there are no footpaths or facilities for keeping horses.
"Consultation over the plan does not appear to be happening and planning guidelines make it clear travellers and gypsies should not be excluded from communities," said Coun Pickering.
"I have seen the plans and it is an appalling design, more like a concentration camp, with awful lighting and no footpaths to main roads or services including schools," he said.
Coun Richard Burton, whose ward covers the proposed Grindale Lane site will speaking against the scheme at a council planning meeting next month.
"No one seems to want it other than the council.
"The site is totally unsuitable, not just for that use but for any development. Ideas for the lighting alone will make it stand out like a beacon," he said.
Campaigners have already submitted five separate petitions containing a total of 675 names from the villages of Burton Fleming, Grindale itself, Wold Newton and Boynton, and from residents on New Pasture Lane estate.
The council has already received more than 140 letters of objection.
Vic Storey, a local farmer and spokesman for the campaigners, said most people were completely unaware of the proposal and accused the council of not holding a full consultation.
"I want to stress this is not about travellers or gypsies, it is about any kind of development on this site.
“The more you look at it, the more ridiculous the idea is from everyone's point of view, including the travellers.
“They do need improved facilities, but this is not what they want.”
The matter was to have been considered by the council’s strategic planning committee in Beverley next Thursday. That has now been postponed until October.
A spokesman for the council said: “The planning application has been withdrawn from the planning committee meeting on September 18 so allow for more extensive consultation.”
Mr Storey, who is even prepared to lay on a bus to the meeting if there are enough takers, said: “It gives us more time to rally support but it means more time with this black cloud hanging over our heads.”
Anyone interested in taking up the offer should ring him on 603798.
The council said it looked at four alternative sites, all of which were discounted for a variety of reasons.
Three sites side-by-side on the opposite site of Woldgate to the existing site were dismissed as being too close to existing residential development or having access problems.
A further site between the preferred one on Grindale Lane and Scarborough Road, was said to be more difficult to blend in naturally to the landscape.
If the plan is approved by the council it will still have to be referred to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for approval as it represents a departure from East Riding of Yorkshire Councils existing development plan.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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