2:40pm Saturday 4th July 2009
A PLAN to put more than 25 permanent travellers’ pitches in the borough is set to meet with opposition tonight from councillors.
Proposals by the South East England Planning Board (SEEPB) want to see 11 new permanent pitches for gypsies and 17 for travelling showpeople set up in Basingstoke and Deane by 2016.
But councillors on the planning and infrastruc-ture overview and scrutiny committee believe that the numbers grossly exaggerate the need and are expected to voice their objections at tonight’s meeting.
In a report for the meeting, officers say the proposed number of new permanent gypsy pitches in the consultation report, which covers the South East, is not needed.
They argue that new sites and pitches should be identified in areas where these groups already live, instead of forcing them to move miles.
The number of pitches for travelling showpeople is also regarded as excessive, with SEEPB providing no sound evidence that such a high proportion of this community needs or wants sites in Basingstoke.
Councillor Stephen Reid, chairman of the committee, said: “The nature of travellers in Basingstoke has a history of being transitory.
“When we had a permanent site in the borough before, it wasn’t really making a difference because we didn’t have many people who wanted a permanent site. So I think it is right to object.”
Councillors at the meeting have been recommended to object to such high numbers in the consultation.
The consultation will end next month and an independent planning inspector will then examine it in February next year.
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