Council refuses proposed gypsy/traveller site expansion at Beenham

West Berkshire Council has refused the demolition of a stable to enable the expansion of an existing gypsy/traveller site.

An application, submitted in June, sought permission to demolish an unauthorised stables block to provide an additional four gypsy/traveller pitches at an existing encampment on land along the A4 at Beenham.

The proposal would have yielded an increase of four static caravans and four touring caravans.

However, the council has refused the application, saying the increased number of units on site would generate more vehicular movements and congestion on the A4, and risked limiting access to the high-pressure aviation fuel pipelines based on site.

It added the application did not contain sufficient information regarding a noise impact assessment as well as the potential impact on trees on and next to the site.

The application’s appeal status is currently unknown.