Plans for a permanent traveller site which have been approved by the South Downs National Park Authority can go ahead.
Communities and Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles has decided against “calling in” the plans.
The permanent site is next to the recently reopened traveller transit site at Horsdean.
The plans were drawn up by Brighton and Hove City Council and will be funded by a government grant.
The national park authority carried out a public consultation before approving the plans for the site in February.
The council said that Horsdean was chosen after an extensive selection process which explored 50 possible locations.
The proposal is to create a permanent traveller site by extending the existing transit site on the old Horsdean Recreation Ground, which was cut off when the A27 Brighton bypass was built.
The plans show 12 new permanent pitches alongside 21 retained transit pitches. Each permanent pitch will consist of space for a static caravan and other vehicles, plus a kitchen, bathroom and dayroom in an amenity block.
The plans will also see the Traveller Liaison Team move to a management building on site to ensure closer and better working with the community and to reduce management costs.
Councillor Pete West, the chairman of the council’s Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee, said: “I am relieved the Secretary of State has stopped thinking about calling this in so we can now get on with building these much needed additional traveller pitches.
“The impact unauthorised encampments on the city’s open spaces has on local communities cannot be underestimated coupled with the expense of eviction.
“The permanent site will help ease this issue and give greater stability for travelling families and strengthen existing links with the local community that already exist with the transit site.
“By adding pitch capacity it will also reduce the likelihood of unauthorised encampments.”
The site will be aimed at travellers with a local link, many of whom already regularly occupy spaces on the transit site.
This should increase the council’s capacity to deal with unauthorised encampments, although the permanent traveller site will not provide a complete solution.
Tenants will have to sign a secure tenancy that will, like all social housing, ensure that any anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated.
And on this permanent site, travellers WILL be paying Council Tax; won’t they?
And on this permanent site, travellers WILL be paying Council Tax; won’t they?
PW …. Dream on ….
PW …. Dream on ….
So a total of 33 pitches and there were about 100 caravans at Wild Park alone. What will happen to the remaining 67+ caravans?
The extra 12 pitches may help the situation with caravans using public spaces, but it won’t cure it. Especially as the travellers will have to pay to use Horsdean, but they can use public spaces for free.
So a total of 33 pitches and there were about 100 caravans at Wild Park alone. What will happen to the remaining 67+ caravans?
The extra 12 pitches may help the situation with caravans using public spaces, but it won’t cure it. Especially as the travellers will have to pay to use Horsdean, but they can use public spaces for free.
So 12 permenant pitches , fantastic ! At present there are 50 + caravans up on the field off Ditchling Rd ,who will undoubtably be moved on in a few days and break into another beautiful unspoilt area to cover it in rubbish and human excrement despite facilities being provided ! These people do not want to settle ! They are nomadic types who just want to cause trouble make mess and generally annoy local law abiding residents ,Why should our taxes and resources be constantly drained by people who neither want to conform or contribute to local society .
So 12 permenant pitches , fantastic ! At present there are 50 + caravans up on the field off Ditchling Rd ,who will undoubtably be moved on in a few days and break into another beautiful unspoilt area to cover it in rubbish and human excrement despite facilities being provided ! These people do not want to settle ! They are nomadic types who just want to cause trouble make mess and generally annoy local law abiding residents ,Why should our taxes and resources be constantly drained by people who neither want to conform or contribute to local society .
GW …. Thing is it’s not ‘for free’ … We the council tax payers foot the bill.
That and the general criminality that goes with the ‘travellers’ is a toxic mix.
GW …. Thing is it’s not ‘for free’ … We the council tax payers foot the bill.
That and the general criminality that goes with the ‘travellers’ is a toxic mix.
The provision of a few extra traveller pitches at Horsdean has taken a lot of effort against a great deal of resistance and now some of you are complaining that there are not enough pitches! You just can win.
The provision of a few extra traveller pitches at Horsdean has taken a lot of effort against a great deal of resistance and now some of you are complaining that there are not enough pitches! You just can win.
Hjarrs…. Hasn’t your mob done enough damage to our town with JKs lack of action! Not that we will be able to see how much travellers have cost this town until publishing accounts @ year end!
Politicians ought to be held accountable for their mistakes!
Cost has been immense for GREEN Policies!
The list goes on…… Travellers, Traffic Chaos, Roads to Nowhere, Extortionate Parking & Permit Charges, £40 million on a Phallic Symbol of a Green Legacy!
Hjarrs…. Hasn’t your mob done enough damage to our town with JKs lack of action! Not that we will be able to see how much travellers have cost this town until publishing accounts @ year end!
Politicians ought to be held accountable for their mistakes!
Cost has been immense for GREEN Policies!
The list goes on…… Travellers, Traffic Chaos, Roads to Nowhere, Extortionate Parking & Permit Charges, £40 million on a Phallic Symbol of a Green Legacy!
@hjarrs. I have as much respect for your wretched, incompetent Green council as I have for a bottle of cheap, stinking cooking-oil from Lidls
@hjarrs. I have as much respect for your wretched, incompetent Green council as I have for a bottle of cheap, stinking cooking-oil from Lidls
@hjarrs – I am sure we would all support the extra pitches if we thought they would be used and make a difference. The real situation is that even the current capacity is very rarley used I imagine because they have to pay (as per GW’s comments)- I was over there the other week on the way to the Chattri and there were 3 vans in there, why do we think 12 extra spaces is going to help.
It is a difficult situation, we dont want them in Brighton, but in moving them on I wouldnt want to dispose them on another town either. I know they are nomadic etc… but they must be held accountable for the damages caused, if not individualy due to not being able to prove any wrong doing etc but as a whole group on that particular illegal encampment, we may not be able to prove who broke in but by them all being on the land illegally surely they should be charged as a whole group.
Lets face it, if the non travelling population (not considered ethnic minority, read brighton hove gov faq’s) pitched up on someones land we would be acted upon immediatly by the police.
Sorry rant over.
@hjarrs – I am sure we would all support the extra pitches if we thought they would be used and make a difference. The real situation is that even the current capacity is very rarley used I imagine because they have to pay (as per GW’s comments)- I was over there the other week on the way to the Chattri and there were 3 vans in there, why do we think 12 extra spaces is going to help.
It is a difficult situation, we dont want them in Brighton, but in moving them on I wouldnt want to dispose them on another town either. I know they are nomadic etc… but they must be held accountable for the damages caused, if not individualy due to not being able to prove any wrong doing etc but as a whole group on that particular illegal encampment, we may not be able to prove who broke in but by them all being on the land illegally surely they should be charged as a whole group.
Lets face it, if the non travelling population (not considered ethnic minority, read brighton hove gov faq’s) pitched up on someones land we would be acted upon immediatly by the police.
Sorry rant over.