Understand
Traveller site near Watton faces refusal due to rural impact
Overview
Plans to turn a plot of land in Saham Toney, Norfolk, into a permanent traveller site for 12 families are recommended for refusal by Breckland District Council officers. Despite acknowledging an unmet need for traveller accommodation in the area, officers warn that the development would cause unacceptable harm to the open countryside and involve the removal of mature hedgerows and trees.
Key points
- Plans for a permanent traveller site at Saham Toney, near Watton, are expected to be rejected by councillors.
- The applicant, Lisa Jay, applied to turn the plot at Otterwood Kennels into a permanent site for 12 families following previous council enforcement action.
- Council officers acknowledged an unmet need for 66 to 71 more gypsy and traveller pitches in the area by 2046.
- Despite the recognized need, officers advise refusal due to concerns over a harmful and urbanizing development in the open countryside and the loss of trees and hedgerows.