Beenham site suitable pitch for travellers
The claim will dismay hundreds of people who opposed the application, many saying that they feared “another Dale Farm” – a reference to the illegal Essex site which housed around 1,000 travellers until it was finally closed amid violence and arrests following a decade-long legal battle last year.
Traveller Boysie Biddle was challenging the unanimous decision of West Berkshire Council’s eastern area planning committee last November to defy its own officers’ advice.
The officers had recommended approval for “one gypsy pitch together with the formation of additional hard-standing and utility/dayroom” on land adjacent the Olde Forge House in Bath Road”.
At the time of the refusal, Mr Biddle’s agent taunted the committee, branding members “startled rabbits” and warning: “Your enthusiasm for making the taxpayer pick up a big [planning appeal] bill is exemplary.”
Earlier, during the original debate, planning officer David Pearson had implored councillors not to refuse permission, warning: “There’s a high risk of costs being awarded against us on appeal.”
Last Thursday Mr Biddle and his agents, Green Planning Solutions, made good on their threat and brought an appeal to HM Planning Inspectorate at Newbury College.
One man to give evidence was Richard Stewart, who lives at The Old Forge.
He said that the area was still prone to flooding and that he had been required to temporarily move out on occasions as a result.
However, council officer Paul Goddard said remedial work earlier this year should have relieved this problem.
Mr Stewart also claimed that the site was isolated from local amenities, with the nearest primary school two miles away in Aldermaston, the nearest shop in Aldermaston Wharf and the nearest doctor’s surgery in Theale – one of the reasons for refusal by the eastern area committee.
He added that he would be forced to move his bird and pest control business, for which he keeps a number of birds of prey in aviaries in his garden, if the district council’s decision was overturned, as he claimed loud noises could stress his birds, in turn leading to difficulty breeding them.
Other objections related to perceived problems over integration with the community owing to the site’s remote location.
However, Matthew Green, of Green Planning Solutions, said: “In comparison to the majority of gypsy appeals, this is one of the most sustainable sites. Having regular buses and a train station within that sort of distance is remarkable.
“Integration takes place when the kids attend school [and] when people use the same facilities as other people.”
Mr Green added that Mr Stewart did not have planning permission to operate his business at his property so the point should not be considered in the decision.
The appeal was told that Mr Biddle’s wife recently gave birth to their first child. Mr Green said: “I would have thought it would be in the best interests of the child for the parents to have a stable [home] where easy access can be made to health and education.”
Current council policy acknowledges the necessity of finding 20 new travellers’ sites by 2027 – four of which need to be allocated within the next five years.
The inspector’s decision is anticipated early next month.
