PLANS for a controversial gypsy site have been refused by Barnsley Council - but the family who have applied are confident they will succeed on appeal.
The plans, submitted by Archer Smith, a member of the Smith family who live at Wombwell Ings in Low Valley, were initially submitted last year.
Consent was being sought to create 11 pitches on a field off Middlecliffe Lane, Little Houghton, although a previous version of the plan was withdrawn before the council could make a decision.
The family cited fears about flooding at their current Ings Road location - which was hit particularly badly in the 2007 floods - as the reason why they wanted to create the new site.
This time, the council’s planning board unanimously decided to refuse the plans.
But Nathan Smith said they expected the result and will be appealing the decision.
Nathan said: “We are going to take it to appeal and I think we will get it - it got failed on access, and green belt land. They said they can’t see the need for us to have it but the Ings is overcrowded. There is a flood bank in place but it has flooded before and it will do again.
“We are not fools, we know we have to move. Some older people will stay there with a flood alarm, and move off if it goes off with a warning, and move on when it’s safe again. But some aren’t happy to do that.”
He said concerns about access onto the road at the proposed site could be overcome.
“The roadway is a 30mph zone. I think when we get our independent road man in to observe it, it will be passed. We will be getting a minibus there to take the children to and from school, so there is one vehicle instead of ten going in and out.
“Ninety per cent of these plans don’t get passed by councils at first because it is in their interests to keep people off their back. They are not going to put their names forward to support something which is unpopular.”
The plans had been recommended for refusal on the grounds of being an inappropriate form of development in the green belt and lack of good access to facilities.
The track used to reach the site was found not to be suitable, taking into account the vehicles and static and touring caravans which would use it, and the number of vehicle movements would increase disturbance for nearby residents.
There were also 102 objections to the plans, citing reasons ranging from overdevelopment of the village to unauthorised work which had been carried out on the access track to widen it.
Middlecliffe resident Kevin Osborne, who has led much of the campaign against the plans, spoke against the application on Tuesday.
He said: “I have a great deal of sympathy towards those who feel so at risk of flooding in the Low Valley area of Darfield that they have to move home. However this site is not for them. It is the wrong development in the wrong place.”
Darfield councillors Pauline Markham and Dorothy Coates also spoke against the application.
Coun Markham said: “I feel the greatest sympathy for the gypsies wanting to move because of flooding, but that is not the place to go.
“Vehicular access especially is not fit for purpose and also its location within green belt. I beg members, it really needs to be refused.”
Coun Coates questioned whether flooding mitigation work had been carried out at the Ings Road site in Darfield.
Head of planning Joe Jenkinson said: “As part of the Local Plan, in recognition of the fact it has flooded, an alleviation scheme has been implemented at Ings Road and there is not the risk of flooding. We are creating traveller pitches (in the borough) as part of future need and there is an argument they could remain there as circumstances have changed.”
