Traveller caravan site planned in Peterborough village refused as residents tell of 'no-go zone'
The vote to refuse the proposal was unanimous among all members of the councils planning committee.
Plans to create a new caravan site in Glinton for the use of up to four Traveller families have been refused by councillors.
Planning officers had recommended the application for approval ahead of Tuesday’s committee meeting (July 30) but councillors voted unanimously to go against the recommendation and refuse the application.
The committee heard reports of alleged intimidation and harassment of residents and stories of how school children and other pedestrians had decided to begin avoiding the section to Lincoln Road the site had begun to be constructed on since the spring.
The application, which originally said that work had not begun, was part-retrospective and was to convert agricultural land adjacent to 1705 Lincoln Road into a residential caravan site for four Traveller families; each plot with space for two caravans.
Ahead of the meeting, 32 objections were received by residents as well as additional objections from as ward councillors Neil Boyce and Peter Hiller and Glinton Parish Council.
Speaking against the proposal, Cllr Hiller said: “Imagine the scene early in the morning of a bank holiday Friday, you’re just waking up looking forward to a pleasant and relaxing holiday weekend with family and friends. Suddenly, the peace is shattered by the arrival of cars, vans and caravans and heavy plant machinery just a few feet away from your garden.
“Tonnes of hardcore delivered by HGVs and numerous men shouting above the noise they themselves are creating. This carries on day after day.
“Residents are real people who expect to be protected by the council it pays taxes to and they’ve been badly let down by this recommendation not cast into the wilderness of anxiety and worry.
“They are rightly angry because this application would change their lives forever.”
A representative from Glinton Parish Council added: “At Glinton Parish Council’s meeting on May this year, Lincoln Road residents attended and alleged in heart breaking detail the level of intimidation, abuse and disruption they have suffered to their peaceful daily lives due to the creation of the site.
“We are aware that the abuse and threats aren’t just directed at residents. Ward councillor Boyce had to call the police for assistance on one occasion.
“Due to the levels of intimidation, a no go area for the residents has been created along Lincoln Road. We understand that secondary school students now avoid the area when travelling to and from AMVC- which necessitates the crossing of the busy A15 and this applies to a large number of other pedestrians.
“Glinton Parish Council is bewildered and saddened that officers recommended the application for approval given the dreadful predicament of our neighbours.”
Cllr Scott Warren was among the number of councillors who spoke against the application during the debate. He said: “Against this application we have the out of character nature of the development, the adverse impact, the loss of amenity with the path, the loss of the countryside. Then we heard the real picture of the harm being caused to local residents with police being called.
“The most important element I’ve heard comes from residents and with what residents have said, I will vote against this due to the undue harm this will cause and the loss of amenity that children feel unsafe to go near the site.”
The applicants did not attend the meeting.