Top Yard refused

Yesterday the planning committed voted to refuse the application for a travelling showmen site at Top Yard, Westerleigh.

In February, local residents and Westerleigh ward councillor Claire Young spoke at the DC (East) planning committee about their concerns about the application, which officers had recommended for approval. The planning committee voted by a narrow majority to approve it but, heeding the concerns raised, Cllr Alan Lawrance referred it up to full council. Given the chance to look at the application again, officers considered some recent case law and advised councillors that the application should go back to the DC (East) Planning Committee with a revised report to reflect that. Claire was pleased to propose this at the council meeting.

In the revised report, officers recommended refusal. The committee voted 9 votes to 1 with 1 abstention to refuse it on the grounds that it is inappropriate development and the "very special circumstances" given by the applicant don't outweigh the impact on the Green Belt.

Claire has asked officers what the next steps will be. As this was a retrospective application and the caravans are already there, it will be referred to the planning enforcement team.