Gypsy Site Planning Decision at Brookthorpe

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 26th Jul 2006

Last year Stroud District Council approved the development of a residential Gypsy Encampment in a protected area of countryside at Naas Lane Brookthorpe. Since then retrospective applications have been made to put more caravan pitches on the site, and more are in prospect.

Local councillor Keith Ardron said "Stroud District Council appears to be is the only local authority in the country to have given retrospective permission to a residential gypsy site in this way. It failed to carry out an assessment of gypsy accommodation needs or to identify suitable sites in its Local Plan. Now we have a site in a Special Landscape area, over which the Council seems to have lost control of development.

I am seeking a clear local policy from the Council so that people can see the limits on the possible expansion of this site. In the meantime I'm asking all local residents, including Gypsy residents, to respect planning rules and make and make planning applications in advance rather then after developing a site". Cllr Keith Ardron

_________________________________________