Gypsy families win site battle

TWO gypsy families have won the right to carry on living on Green Belt land which they bought from a local family.
But the two families – Mr and Mrs Tom Smith and Mr and Mrs Earnest Varey – have been told they can only stay on the land they own in Cartridge Lane, Grappenhall for three years.
After that, they must leave – and all caravans, vehicles, hardstanding, etc., must be removed.
The site must be levelled, top-soiled and either seeded or turfed with grass.
A public inquiry into Warrington Borough Council’s refusal to grant planning consent for the gypsy site was held in September.
There was massive opposition from local residents
Diane Lewis, the inspector who conducted the hearing, has concluded that although the caravan site is inappropriate in the Green Belt, it is well screened by trees and can only be seen from a short stretch of Cartridge Lane.
A person who did not know the area would be likely to pass without even noticing the site, she says.
She has imposed conditions, however, that there should be no more than four caravans on the site, that they must only be occupied by the Smith and Varey families and that there should be no more than three commercial vehicles and one horsebox kept on the site.
There must also be no commercial activity on the site – including sales.
If any of the conditions are broken, the travellers will be required to leave within 28 days.
The inspector made it clear that one of the issues she had taken into account during the inquiry was the shortfall of official traveller’gypsy sites in Warrington.