Gypsy site entrance ‘unacceptable’
MEMBERS of Maidstone Council’s plan- ning committee have called for action to im- prove the entrance to a gypsy site in Chart Sutton.
Councillors were compelled to grant per- mission forDave Courtnell to retrospectively site two caravans on land at Chartview, off Chart Hill Road, because a precedent for gypsy development in the area had been set by the legal stationing of three caravans at Lit- tle Rabbits Cross to the west. But officers were urged to work with the applicant, who previously lived in a bricks andmortar house, to bolster hedgerows and improve landscaping.
Nursery request GYPSY Billy Ackleton (Junior) has applied to put two cara- vans and an amenity building in Orchard Farm Nursery in Chartway Street, Sutton Va- lence. He is the son of nursery owner Bill Ackleton, whose daughter lives on an existing gypsy site along the eastern side of the nursery.
Families’ site plea A PLANNING application has been submitted to station two mobile homes, three touring caravans and two utility blocks on agricultural land between Park Wood Lane and Fritten- den Road, Staplehurst. The pitches would be used by two families.
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trance is not acceptable in the countryside.” Planning officer Peter Hockney said a condition demanding the improvement of this area would be adhered to. He also said that Mr Courtnell passed the “mean test” proving he was a gypsy, despite objector John Fowler questioning his credentials. Mr Hockney added: “The applicant previ-
Cllr Richard Lusty, chairman of the com- mittee, said: “Retrospective applications like this are deplorable and have to stop.We have a caravan already on the site and the landscaping is not acceptable. That en-
A GYPSY family living near East Farleigh were allowed to amend the terms of their plan- ning permission to allow their son to live with them. In 2005, Mr and Mrs Draper
were given consent for one mo- bile home and one touring car- avan at Primrose Paddock, Stockett Lane, on condition that only they would live there. Maidstone Council’s planning committee has now allowed them to replace the touring car- avan with a mobile home for Jimmy Draper to live in. Speaking on behalf of the ap- plicants, Mrs Smith told the committee: “The touring cara- van is not big enough for Jimmy – he has no washing facilities
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ously lived in a house, but this does not mean he does not comply with the defini- tion of a gypsy. Evidence has been provided of the travelling nature of the applicant. The committee granted permission as a
result of 10 votes for, one against and two abstentions.
Son allowed to join his parents
etc. This is a small gypsy site – there are no lorries, no mess, no skips and nothing visual that you might associate with a gypsy site. “I have known the family for
30 years and I used to live next to them when they lived in a house. I can’t understand why Jimmy Draper can’t live with his dad. They need to keep an eye on him for health reasons.” Despite an objection by Cox-
heath Parish Council, planning permission was backed by 10 members, with three absten- tions. Committee member Cllr Tony Harwood said: “It is a fairly small change in configu- ration of the site that is neither here nor there.”
Issue resolved GYPSY Stephen Scamp was given planning permission to live at TheHoneysuckles, Cross Drive, Kingswood. In 2006, his application to station amobile home and tour- ing caravan was refused, due to inadequate landscaping. Since then, Mr Scamp has lived with relatives at KCC-managed Stile- bridge Caravan Site in Marden. The committee felt the land- scaping issue had been ad- dressed in the latest application and voted in favour. Cllr Tony Harwood said: “This is now well-landscaped, so there is no harm to the countryside. “This is not in open country-
side. It is an area of sporadic de- velopment of both the settled and travelling community.”
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