Hundreds speak out against traveller site

Hundreds of people have spoken out against a controversial plan to build a traveller site on the edge of the city.

Up to ten permanent traveller pitches could be built on land next to the A4440 in St Peter’s in Worcester according to resubmitted plans.

Almost 200 people have put forward objections against the plan saying it would be “dangerous” and “unsuitable” to use the busy Southern Link Road to access the site.

Objector Nathan Cole of Peabody Avenue said: “It is far too dangerous to build a traveller site at the proposed location. The road is already dangerous, and many accidents occur here.

“The travellers that have resided here in the past have caused disruption to the local community and they left behind litter on the field once they were moved on.”

Samantha Savage of Coltishall Close, who also objected, said the land should be used to build affordable housing.

“Permanent caravan pitches for travellers do not have the best of reputations and do not add any value to the area they occupy,” she said. “There are no positives to the local people or businesses should a permanent traveller site be given the go-ahead, whereas affordable housing would help out many people who want to purchase their first home in the area in which they have either grown up in or been living in for a while.

“There is already a permanent site in Wainwright Road and I am not aware of any desperate need for another one.”

The number of objections has already surpassed the 160 made when the plan was submitted for the first time at the end of last year.

Five traveller pitches still need to be built across Worcester, Wychavon and Malvern Hills by 2028 to meet demand, according to the South Worcestershire Development Plan, with planning permission for 45 pitches already granted.

A further 54 pitches would then need to be built between 2028 and 2041.

A decision on the new site was supposed to have been made by Worcester City Council’s planning committee in March but was pulled from the agenda at the last minute.

The council’s planning officers had advised councillors to turn the application down saying the traveller site would “erode and harm” the open landscape and green space.