Public inquiry into Hemley Hill travellers' site, near Saunderton continues (From Bucks Free Press)

Public inquiry into Hemley Hill travellers' site, near Saunderton continues

10:09pm Wednesday 14th July 2010 in

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A BARRISTER defending travellers today said there was “hypocrisy” from Wycombe District Council in the way it has dealt with the gypsy site at Hemley Hill, near Saunderton.

At the second day of the public inquiry into the refusal of planning permission at the nine pitch gypsy site, it was revealed residents who live in houses in Shootacre Lane next to the site had not received authorised planning permission to extend their gardens onto agricultural land.

Alan Masters, who is representing the travellers, added the council had granted planning permission for two gypsy sites at Dry Banks in Stokenchurch and Five Oaks at Studley Green, which are in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and one in the Green Belt yet were now appealing against the Hemley Hill site.

Today Mr Masters brought his witness, Matthew Green, a partner in Green Planning Solutions LLP, to the stand who was questioned all day.

Mr Green said there was an unmet need in the district to provide pitches for travellers and the process used to assess gypsy sites needed was “flawed.”

He said the Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment, which is the main tool to access need, is inaccurate as it assumes a net migration of 14 pitches but not take into account the number of gypsies moving in.

Mr Green said Wycombe assessment in 2006 indicated Wycombe needed to provide eight pitches by 2011 and in the next ten years a further 10 sites will have to be allocated. He said including the sites at Five Oaks , the immediate unmet need is 25, and 35 in next ten years.

He said there are no alternative sites for gypsies and travellers and none of the alternative sites suggested by the council meet the criteria, as some are undergoing legal battles and he said the Wapseys Wood site is currently fully occupied.

He said if the appeal was refused the families at Hemley Hill would be left homeless.

Mr Green said the sites allocated at Dry Banks and Five Oaks did not meet general need as they were already in place to meet personal needs and Dry Banks is on private land.

He said “The appellant and the pitch owners will sign section 106 agreements with regards to a consent subject to the considerations of the effects of a temporary and/or personal consent.”

Mr Green added that outlook and visual impact to the residents do not apply as “there is no right to a view from private land.”

Robin Green, representing the council, said since the Regional Spatial Strategy has been revoked by the current government which allocates number of pitches needed to be found, current advice says the local authority can determine local need and historic demand.

He said according to council figures there has only been one unauthorised gypsy site from July 2009 to January 2010, but Mr Matthew Green said there are some sites which are left out of the figures, including Five Oaks which was unauthorised until May.

James Pereira, representing the Hemley Hill Action Group, asked Matthew Green if he had visited the households by the site to judge how they had been affected. He said he had not but he had judged it from topography and photographs.

Mr Pereira asked what conditions would be implemented in terms of noise and light pollution and Mr Green said conditions could be applied including low level lighting.

Evidence was given by three third parties including Cllr Pam Priestley, representing North West Chilterns Local Area Forum, chairman of Bledlow-cum-Saunderton parish council Robert Uglow and Roger Craft, vice-chairman of Lacey Green Parish Council who all objected the site.

Cllr Pam Priestley said: “We are greatly concerned about the impact of the travellers' site on the open rural character of this AONB and Green Belt, and would emphasise that this is an area much beloved of walkers and ramblers using the local footpaths and especially the Ridgeway Path and Icknield Way.”

The inquiry will continue tomorrow when the council will call their own witnesses.