Members of the Gypsy and Traveller community say they are pleased with plans for additional pitches to be provided at an existing site in Newark. A number of new pitches have been proposed by Newark and Sherwood District Council, who are required to provide at least 118 pitches until 2033.
Most of these pitches will be provided at the existing site on Tolney Lane, Newark, but other pitches are also planned for existing sites in Ollerton, Chestnut Lodge in Barnby-in-the-Willows, land north of Winthorpe Road in Newark, Appleby Lodge on Barnby Road in Newark and the former Belvoir Iron works in Newark. Residents already living at the Tolney Lane site say they are pleased to see that the council is creating new pitches in the area for the community.
Emily Heeps, 36, explained that there were already around 20 or so sites off Tolney Lane, but a new council site would be great as it would mean better facilities. She said: "I said I was definitely up for that and I asked about putting a name down for that.
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"With being in the travelling community myself, you have to have someone to run it. I think it would be a good thing."
Emily explained that she thought the site would be "extremely" beneficial for the community. She said: "To have another site that the council has built, there will be more facilities like big sheds with toilets and showers.
"Some here have sheds with toilets and that's about it, so that would be a good thing, especially for my mum. It would be easier for her to be on a council site as she would have those facilities."
Joe Ripley, 58, also thinks the new site is a good idea. He said: "There are not enough sites so people buy there own land and then its like trying to get an audience with the pope to get planning permission. There's all this land that nobody is using, but hey would rather see pigs walk around using it than us.
"It's the only form of racism still accepted. If they have more sites for them then they wouldn't be pulling up on the sides of the road."
Another Nottinghamshire traveller who did not wish to be named said: "It would be good. We need more spaces where we feel welcomed."
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