Agenda item

Caravan Site for the stationing of three Residential Caravans for Occupation by a single Traveller family (Retrospective).

The Committee considered a report of the Principal Planning Officer regarding a caravan site for the stationing of three residential caravans for occupation by a single traveller family.

Mr Alan Dobie, Principal Planning Officer, provided the Committee with a detailed presentation, which included photographs of the site.  Members of the Committee had visited the site earlier in the day and were familiar with the location and setting.

Councillor Todd, local Member informed the Committee that there was general opposition from the community of Shotton towards this type of application, adding that in the recent past there had been substantial problems around the allotment area near to the application site and violent behaviour in the area.  He queried how long the applicant had been living on the site without planning permission and asked why enforcement action had not been taken.

Councillor Huntington, local Member, informed the Committee that she knew the area around the site very well, and that this had been kept clean and tidy since the site had been occupied.  However, she reported that previously a resident of Shotton had been refused planning permission to build on the site and this application was causing anger among residents of Shotton who wanted to see an even-handed, fair approach being taken.

Ms Collins, the applicant, addressed the Committee.  Her family settled on the site due to an illness in the family, which necessitated the family member being near to hospital.  The family had become part of the community of Shotton and had not been in any trouble nor involved with any of the problems referred to around the allotment area.  The family had no place else to go as there were no other sites available.

Councillor Charlton asked why the previous planning application referred to by Councillor Huntington had been refused.  The Principal Planning Officer replied that although he did not have this information, there may have been a presumption against development because the site was deemed to be in the countryside.

Councillor Naylor referred to the family being on the site since 2007 and asked whether there was any evidence of this.  The Principal Planning Officer replied that there was no proof to dispute this.

Resolved:

That the application be approved, subject to the conditions detailed in the recommendations in the report.