AN appeal by gipsies who were refused permission to create a caravan site at Cleeve Prior has been turned down.

The appeal endorsed the refusal of an application by Romany Brian Rogers and others for a change of use of agricultural land at Evesham Road, Cleeve Prior, to develop 18 caravans to house nine families.

The inspector, Mr B J Sims, admitted there was a need for more gipsy sites in Wychavon and said the requirement of gipsy applicants to have 'clear ties to the locality' of any application, under the Wychavon District Local Plan Review, was too vague to be significant.

He also said the proposed site was sustainable because it is near Cleeve Village, adequate highways access to the site could be provided and privacy and fears over security, fly-tipping, loss of agricultural land and the impact on nature conservation sites would not be adversely affected.

Despite backing these aspects of the appeal, the inspector said the development would harm the rural landscape and could not be screened by landscaping.

The inspector's report stated 'the proposals would have a significant impact on the rural landscape' and 'the development would consolidate and expand the existing conglomeration of caravan development over a locally valued green space'.

Mr Sims wrote: "The continued expansion of the group of gipsy sites as proposed, could not be adequately screened and would form an unacceptable alien feature in the countryside'.

In support of the appeal he said 'there is a lack of evidence that indicates the appellants are more likely than any other social group to cause disruption on the site or in the village or that local services and infrastructure would be placed under stress as a result of the development'.

He also identified a need for between 25 and 100 more pitches in Wychavon over the next five years.