Illegal caravan site loses another appeal
Stephen Banham was first ordered off the land half a decade ago but began a protracted legal battle.
Now Her Majesty’s Planning Inspector has rejected his latest bid to legitimise an illegal pitch surrounded by land designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
Mr Barham was again ordered to move on in September 2011 following what was already three years of legal wrangling and three failed appeals.
However he submitted yet another bid for retrospective planning permission, this time on a reduced pitch, for “change of use to a Gypsy site with one pitch, to contain one static caravan, one touring caravan and parking for two vehicles with associated hardstanding, cess pit, two sheds and external walls within the site, along with a children’s play area” on land at Old Street, Hermitage.
Once again, last July, West Berkshire planners rejected this latest application.
Once again, Mr Banham appealed.
In the latest ruling the inspector, Gerry Hollington, upheld local planning chiefs’ decision and dismissed the latest appeal.
In his decision report, Mr Hollington acknowledged Mr Banham’s right to a “settled” home and family life under the European Convention on Human Rights.
He added: “The appellant submitted in August 2012 an undated letter from the Royal Free Hospital, saying Mr Banham had been in their care and needed a stable home. However, when contacted, the hospital could not trace anyone with the name of the letter’s signatory.”
Mr Hollington added that, although a wheelchair was present on site, planning officers had spotted Mr Banham walking with a stick.
He acknowledged Mr Banham may still need special care and medication and that a child of his had special educational needs.
However, he concluded: “Overall, because of the great weight which has to be attached to the conservation and enhancement of natural beauty in AONBs, the harm to the area’s character and appearance would be sufficiently significant that it would outweight the above matters in favour of the proposed development.”
Last November West Berkshire Council’s eastern area planning committee threw out an application for “one gypsy pitch together with the formation of additional hard standing and utility / dayroom ancillary to that land” adjacent the Olde Forge House in Bath Road, Beenham.
Applicant Boysie Biddle had retained Green Planning Solutions as agents and spokesman Matthew Green said after the decision: “We will be discussing this with our client and I anticipate an appeal relatively quickly.”
No appeal has yet been lodged.