Here at onlineFOCUS, we’ve been watching the Council blunder through the allocation of Traveller sites in the Rochford District. Now they have released their latest reports to be discussed at the Planning Policy Sub-Committee on 31 January 2019 at 09:30
Item 8 Report: Gypsy and Traveller Issues Paper and Sustainability Appraisal – Planning Policy Sub-Committee – 31/01/2019
Interestingly there are a number of options to be explored within the report, one being the authorising of existing unauthorised and/or
temporary sites (as Basildon proposed to do). This surely won’t be popular with residents whom have had unannounced new neighbours ‘pitch up’
Another option that is being looked at is the allocation of travellers sites from the ‘call for sites’ and these sites have been identified as in Fig 2
Of course, there are other options (which are outlined in the reports above) now being pitched as to how the Council can deliver this legal requirement in our district which it has so far abysmally failed to do – at a cost to both the settled community and travellers alike.
I have just heard that Wyevales Garden centre is to be closed and a permanent gypsy site to be allowed there. (Is this TRA9?) I live a few roads away (Grove road, Rayleigh) and have not received any information through my door about this. Yet another underhand development? I have difficulty getting a doctor’s appointment as it is and the school opposite us is at bursting point with everyone parking over my drive and on the grass verge turning it into a mud bath. No thought is ever given to facilities and grid-locked roads.
We’re pretty sure this site was put forward for housing. We’ve not seen anything to suggest a travellers site here