Planning appeal told of travellers' tales (From Worcester News)

Planning appeal told of travellers' tales

7:40am Thursday 9th February 2012 in News By Robert Hale

PEOPLE living on a gipsy site near Worcester told a public hearing something about their lives and work at a planning appeal hearing this week.

The appeal was launched by Edward Smith and Mr E Smith after Malvern Hills District Council refused to grant planning permission for their site at Bastonford, near Powick.

They are also appealing against a council eviction notice to leave the site.

During the hearing, planning inspector Victor Ammoun questioned the gipsies about how they live and worked.

Edward Smith, known as Steve, described how family members travelled around the country looking for work.

He said: “When we travel around, we don’t always take our caravans, sometimes we stay in B&Bs. It depends how expensive it is in the area.”

He said that he had been working in Peterborough, Shropshire, Newport in Wales, and in Devon. He and family members carry out tree work, paving, asphalting driveways and buying and selling scrap metal.

Answering another question from Mr Ammoun, Mr Smith said that he and relatives sometimes went to traditional horse fairs, but more to meet people than to make money.

The hearing also discussed the scale of the site’s impact on the existing village. The hearing was told that there are 10 adults and 11 children living in the five caravans.

Paul Fong, a planning consultant employed by a group of residents, said: “There are 47 residents in Bastonford in 27 properties. The number of residents on the site is out of proportion to the population of this rural hamlet.”

But Hilary Maxwell, who lives in Bastonford, said: “The Smith family are very open and congenial, but many travellers have had difficulty making friends with settled residents because of the hostility they encounter.

“Generations of poor relations between travellers and settled communities means they keep their heads down.”

At an earlier hearing two weeks previously, discussions involved issues such as highways safety, sustainability and the site’s effect on the landscape.

Mr Ammoun’s decision on the appeal is not expected for several weeks.