To determine the application

David Rowen presented the report to members.

Members received a presentation, in accordance with the public Participation Procedure, from Mr Mark Codona, the applicant.

Mr Codona explained that he was making this presentation on behalf of himself and his extended family, asking members to agree with the planning officer’s recommendation for granting of planning consent, subject to appropriate addition of conditions.  He explained that he had occupied the plot for 12 months and, during this time, there had been no fly-tipping incidents or any other form of anti-social behaviour.

Mr Codona stated that his children attend the local Elm Church of England Primary school and that his family use the local post office quite regularly, sometimes daily, and get on well with the owners. He added that he also has a lot of family and friends in and around the Wisbech area and has a good friendship with the local farmer and the other local residents who walk their dogs regularly through Newbridge Lane, and they have all commented on how much cleaner it is now, and how much more of a pleasure it is to walk down without rodents or anything else running out at them now the rubbish has been removed.

Mr Codona stated that his family now feel that they are part of the community of Elm and added that he feels he has helped improve the local area as he has cleared away all the fly-tipping from Newbridge Lane and continued to maintain it at no cost to the Local Authority.  He stated that his family have been in the Wisbech area for over 40 years and have strong links to the area, with his family attending the local Light and Life Christian Church on a regular basis which is in the nearby village of Elm.

Mr Codona stated that his family need to have a place that can provide them with a safe space, especially for disabled family members where they can be together as one extended family unit and so that they can all provide care for one another. He explained that he has 6 members of his immediate family which are under the Queen Elizabeth Hospital at Kings Lynn with specialist health needs that require regular hospital visits and ongoing healthcare from a local GP surgery.

Mr Codona explained that this is the first time that a piece of land has become available, which was big enough to accommodate his family and his horses as they will now be close by, especially for those disabled family members who find it difficult to care for their animals without additional support and would find it challenging to maintain regular visits or access if the animals were not in the vicinity. He added that members of the committee are probably aware there is no local accommodation available for Gypsy and Travellers and he stated that when his family found this piece of land, which was available within his budget, they decided that it was the right time as a family to try and put down some permanent roots and hopefully establish a winter base where the children could continue their education, health needs could be met and his family could stay in-between nomadic travel periods.

Mr Codona stated that his family have been on the land for 12 months, feel that they are now part of the community and they never had anywhere else to go so felt that they had no choice but to move on to the land. He explained that his family have already carried out some development, most of which is fencing, clearing of the land and access lane and maintaining of the land, and that the other work carried out was undertaken on a need basis to provide hard standing for winter months and to assist those with walking difficulties or who are wheelchair reliant to be able to move around relatively safely.

Mr Codona stated that he is more than happy to work with the Local Planning Authority within the conditions which they have set out, so that he can develop the site to the correct standard and make it a nice, safe place for his family unit to continue to living there and explained that the intention is to plant some evergreen hedge screening to various boundaries of the if planning permission is granted. Heexplained that the proposal is for 6 pitches, with two of the proposed pitches having been specially designed for his disabled wheelchair reliant family members.

Members asked Mr Codona the following questions:

·         Councillor Marks asked Mr Codona whether he has any intention of running any form of business from the site? Mr Codona stated that he does not intend to run any form of business from the site apart from the normal gypsy nomadic way of life. He added that he has 3.5 transit vehicles that will go out to work, but no registered businesses will operate from the site. Councillor Marks asked whether the 8 touring caravans that he referred to will all be for his family members? Mr Codona stated that each pitch will have a static caravan and a touring caravan and the two additional touring caravans on the disabled pitches are there if other families need to assist if need be if health conditions change.

·         Councillor Sutton referred to the objection from the Parish Council to the proposal, due to several objections having been received from residents. He made the point that there are good and bad traveller sites, which can influence the views and opinions of residents with regard to the traveller community, and asked Mr Codona whether he could give assurances to the residents of Elm, that should planning permission be approved, his site will be one of the better operated ones. Mr Codona stated that he can give assurances that the site will be operated with the upmost respect for the local community and added that he has been on the site for the past twelve months and there have been no incidents of anti-social behaviour or any other issues. He expressed the view that he has a good relationship with the local farmer who has seen that his family are known and respected members of the community in Wisbech. Mr Codona added that he agrees that there can be issues with the traveller community connected to certain sites, but he reiterated that there will be no issues from the proposed site.

·         Councillor Sutton stated that his understanding was that the entry and exit points to the site would be from the A47, where it is stopped off and asked Mr Codona for clarification? Mr Codona stated the entry and exit to the site will be from Begdale Lane and the Highway Authority have supported this strategy. He added the Traffic Regulation Order will need to be applied for if planning permission is granted. Councillor Sutton expressed the opinion that the site looks tidy and he hopes it will remain like that, if permission is granted, and he congratulated Mr Codona on his efforts towards the issues surrounding the fly tipping problems. Mr Codona added that the site will look even better once development is completed and stated that Newbridge Lane will not be opened as a through road and will remain blocked as it currently is at the A47. Councillor Sutton stated that his preference would have been for the access and egress points to have also been via the A47, as the stop point is a fly tipping hotspot, and had the proposal also used this access then it may have alleviated some of the issues surrounding fly tipping.

Members asked questions, made comments and received responses as follows:

·         Councillor Connor expressed the opinion that the site is very tidy and is a credit to the applicant. He added that he is also of the opinion that the fly tipped waste in Newbridge Lane does not all necessarily come from the traveller site. He noted that there is CCTV at the site, which should alleviate any problems and make it a nice place to live.

Proposed by Councillor Mrs French, seconded by Councillor Skouldingand decided that the application be APPROVED as per the officer’s recommendation.

(Councillor Benney did not take part in the discussion or voting with regard to this application, due to the fact that he lost internet connection at the start of the item)