EPPING FOREST: Twenty-seven sites earmarked for travellers

12:34pm Monday 6th October 2008

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MORE than 25 sites across the district are being earmarked for gypsy and traveller sites.

But where the sites go is already sparking controversy and debate.

A planning consultant has drawn up an 82-page report on possible locations – with sites in the Roydon and Nazeing area, which are already well populated with traveller communities, as well as others in Stapleford Abbotts, North Weald, Thornwood, Epping, Epping Green, Waltham Abbey, Abridge, Moreton and Stapleford Abbotts all considered suitable.

Probably the most high-profile and well-known of the 27 sites proposed is the former Crowther Nurseries site, in Ongar Road, Abridge, which could accommodate 15 caravans.

Site owner Katie Dincer is in the process of selling the site to her brother, James Seward.

The first she knew of the proposals was when she received a letter from the council.

She said: “My reaction was total horror. There’s a nursery cottage 15 metres outside the proposed boundary (of the traveller site) so what am I going to do with the cottage? I’m not going to be able to sell it.”

She added: “I’m just flabbergasted, I was going to sell (the nursery site) to my brother. We were three weeks away from completion but we will both have to take advice.

“I’m just in shock. I don’t understand.”

Another high-profile site listed is at Merlin Way, North Weald – alongside the airfield – which is considered suitable for a transit and/or emergency stop-over site for 25 to 30 caravans and four permanent pitches.

John Rogan, of Crooked Mile, in Waltham Abbey, lives near another proposed site - near the Wheatsheaf pub.

He said he was “horrified” at the prospect of the site being used by travellers and voiced concern over the traffic access, and said one of two sites earmarked was prone to flooding.

He added: “I don’t think Waltham Abbey has the infrastructure to cope with this.”

He said housing developments had been built across the town, but no new schools.

Epping Forest District Council has been told that it must find an extra 49 pitches by 2012, and more in the years after that.

District council leader Di Collins said: “We have no choice, this is a Government directive. We have to do this whether we want to do so or not.”

With the majority of the sites in private ownership, the council has written to all landowners of the sites identified in the draft document inviting them to look at the information and offering them the opportunity to attend a special briefing to discuss any issues they may have.

Andrew Lainton, planning consultant for Epping Forest District Council, said: “The very, very difficult issue facing the district is where they should go.

"This decision has to be faced and really there is no alternative but to engage in a very calm, exploratory investigation into where these sites go.

“There‘s a long list and over the coming months, after listening to what people have to say, the council will have to decide which of these sites it wants to take forward.

“Nobody wants to see gypsies and travellers sites at the bottom of their garden but many of these concerns are to do with crime and public perception.

The results that have been carried out nationally show that they are not always upheld by the evidence.”

He said site screening and landscaping reduced concerns, and left some sites able to be confused with holiday sites.

Mr Lainton said: “It’s hoped that if they are small and well managed, where there may be concern that concern may not be borne out.

Planning and economic development portfolio holder Anne Grigg said: “At this stage the location of potential sites is primarily a planning issue but clearly the accommodation needs of the travelling community forms a part of the council’s overall housing responsibilities.

“We are required to make provision for travellers and gypsies.

Mistrust and misunderstanding between the travelling and settled communities can lead to friction.

This process, which includes comprehensive public consultation, should help to identify a balanced solution.

“Hopefully if our district plans for good sites we will run less risk of unauthorised encampments and the problems these create.

It should also lead to fewer unsuitable sites being granted over our heads on appeal.

This puts Epping Forest bank in control of events.

Housing portfolio holder David Stallan said: “We have legal duties of care towards everyone living in the district.

As well as consulting the settled community, it is also important to talk to the local travelling and gypsy communities. Council staff will be working directly with everyone involved to make sure we get the best outcome possible.”

The official consultation does not begin until November 4 and will run until January 20.

Amendments to the draft report will be made before the final document is considered by the full council on October 28.

The issue will be discussed at tonight's cabinet meeting, at the Civic Offices, High Street, Epping, which starts at 7pm.

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The potential sites are:

•Little Brook Road, Roydon (potential five additional pitches)

• The Meadow, Bumbles Green/Long Green, Nazeing (11 pitches proposed)

• Carters Mead, Nazeing (permission for one pitch; potential for four additional)

• Greenleaves, Hoe Lane, Nazeing (six pitches, with permission; to expand to ten pitches)

• Hamlet Hill, Roydon (six pitches and six approved at Tomary; one pitch approved at Downshoppit, one pitch at Richards Farm; space for ten pitches at Hamlet Hill Farm North)

• Tylers Cross Nursery, Roydon (one existing pitch at La Rosa Nursery; 15 pitches, plus five unauthorised pitches at Tylers Cross Nursery).

• Bournebridge Lane, Stapleford Abbotts (potential for four additional pitches) • Merlin Way, North Weald (potential transit and/or emergency stop-over for 25-30 pitches; potential permanent space for four pitches).

• Thornwood Road, Epping (potential site for four and six pitches on two sites).

• Lindsey Street, Epping (potential site for 15 pitches).

• West of Epping Green (potential site for 15 pitches and paddock area)

• East of Epping Green (potential site for two pitches).

• Duck Lane, Thornwood (potential site for eight pitches)

• Behind Forest House, Woodside, Thornwood (potential site for ten pitches)

• Upland Road, Thornwood (potential site for eight pitches)

• Rye Hill Road, Thornwood (potential site for eight pitches)

• Tylers Green, North Weald (potential site for eight pitches and paddock)

• Crooked Mile, Waltham Abbey (potential site for ten pitches on one site and ten on another)

• Sewardstone, Waltham Abbey (potential sites for two, four, eight and 15 pitches on four sites)

• Hoe Lane, Nazeing (existing eight-pitch site with permission to expand to 12; potential four-pitch site at Spinneys Nursery; space for four pitches at Burleigh Nursery).

• South of Victory Hall, Hainault Road, Chigwell (potential site for two pitches)

• Abridge Road/Coopersale Lane, Theydon Bois (potential sites for ten and 11 pitches on two sites)

• Ongar Road, Abridge (potential site for four pitches)

• Former Crowther Nursery site, Ongar Road, Abridge (potential site for 15 pitches)

• Moreton showpeoples site (potential for additional three pitches)