Gypsy families petition to keep site

Three Gypsy families have petitioned city councillors in Plymouth to change their minds and allow them to stay on two pieces of land they own in Plympton, Devon.

They have delivered a petition with nearly 400 signatures to planning committee chairman John Lock after members forcefully opposed their application at last month's meeting.

The families are supported by planning officers, who are recommending that councillors, meeting this week, should grant permission for mobile homes and touring caravans to be parked on the land for three years.

During a heated two-hour debate last month, councillors criticised the Gypsy families for erecting mobile homes without permission.

Members of the planning committee said they were minded to reject the retrospective applications. They asked planning officers to come up with reasons for refusal.

They also asked planning officers to take enforcement action as soon as possible to remove the families if the law allowed.

The officers will tell Thursday's meeting that the sites on Ridge Road, Plympton are relatively isolated, remote from adequate services, employment, education and public transport.

They will say the proposals fail to provide safe and convenient access for vehicles and pedestrians to the site, and convenient access to schools and local facilities.

However, officers have supported conditional approval for three years.

Conservative councillor for Plympton Erle, John Lock says: "I am told that many of these 400 signatures are from people all over the country. Hardly any of them live in Plymouth.

"Plymouth is doing its bit to provide Gypsy and Traveller sites, which is a lot more than other councils have done.

"Applications to build houses on the sites have been refused a number of times in the past.

"If the planning committee allows these applications now it could open the floodgates. It could cost the council hundreds of thousands of pounds."