One of the three sites being considered to accommodate the future housing needs of Newark's gypsy and traveller population has been found to be unsuitable. Newark and Sherwood District Council announced plans to meet the future housing needs of the community earlier this year, as it does with other types of future needs for housing.
This proposal would see additional pitches created across three new potential sites to accommodate caravans and needed amenity space. These sites would include Chestnut Lodge at Barnby, Belvoir Ironworks and Trent Lane, Newark, providing 69 of the 77 new pitches that the council will need to provide in the next five years.
However a report due to be presented at the District Council's cabinet meeting on Tuesday, July 12, will recommend that the proposed Trent Lane site is not deliverable for gypsy and traveller use. This is land that was available for the sale to the council and was hoped to provide 19 pitches.
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Subject to the Cabinet's agreement, the site would be withdrawn from the remaining sites being considered for allocation of gypsy and traveller use. The District Council intends to present an overall strategy for meeting its gypsy and traveller needs in September.
Councillor David Lloyd, Leader of Newark and Sherwood District Council said: "We are committed to ensuring that we plan for the future needs of our Gypsy and Traveller communities, with new site allocations being a part of our overall strategy over the coming years. While finding land around the Newark area is difficult, we will not stop until our obligations are met and the publication of our Amended Allocations and Development Management Development Plan Document in September this year will outline how we will meet that need.
"I want to make two things clear. Firstly our Gypsy and Traveller communities have been here for generations and they are integral to our community. Just like in all community groups and estates, law abiding residents are unfairly tarnished with the brush of a few. Gypsies and Travellers are, and will remain, an important and welcomed part of our district’s make-up."
He continued: "Secondly, I want to reiterate my messages to the Gypsy and Travellers living on the Winthorpe site. Despite the ruling by the Planning Inspectorate, we will not be enforcing the requirements of the notice until such a time as we have concluded the proposed work on meeting our future gypsy and traveller needs and therefore you are not required to move from this site now.
"We will be publishing a full report on this later this year, including our intended Development Plan.”
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