Greater Norwich Local Plan Gypsy and Traveller Sites Focused Consultation

Object

Representation ID: 25022

Received: 10/03/2023

Respondent: Foulsham Parish Council

Foulsham Parish Council overwhelmingly objects to further development of the Oaks site. The reasons given by the councillors are summarised as follows:
There are already three traveller sites in the vicinity which is disproportionate for a small village.
The Oaks is a large plot, which could potentially accommodate many more pitches. Allowing another 5 pitches simply paves the way for them, and for other sites to increase their pitches.
The authorities ignored our objection when the Oaks was proposed and it is understood that the council allowed them to stay, but for only a fixed period of time.
The site is not suitable for further occupation. There have been concerns raised before about waste disposal and it is understood that permission was never sought nor granted for the access onto Reepham Road.
It is believed that there has already been unauthorised expansion of the site.
Additional comments received from residents:
Resident 1
It is understood that previous, unauthorised expansion of the site, including the addition of a second driveway onto Reepham Road has gone unchallenged by the council and the site is already in significant contravention of the previously granted planning permission. Therefore we do not feel that any further development of the site should even be considered until all outstanding contraventions are addressed and resolved. The site is also far outside of the settlement boundary and nowhere near any amenities.
Resident 2
We wish to lodge our objection in the strongest possible terms to the potential increase of The Oaks traveller site on Reepham Road , Foulsham by an additional five pitches as outlined in the recently published Greater Norwich Local Plan. To increase the number of pitches on the site in this way, and thus the number of people accommodated on the site, would make the scale of The Oaks and its impact on the local environment too large for such a small village with limited amenities and out of keeping with this quiet, rural area. Such an expansion of the site would have a detrimental impact on the local landscape and the ability of local residents to enjoy the peace and tranquility of this area which is the prime reason for many of them choosing to live in this location.
When planning permission was granted for The Oaks, on appeal after originally being turned down, it was on the basis that the site was to be home for two siblings and their families, each sibling having two young children and thus there would be eight people resident on the site. The site was to consist of two log cabin style static caravans, a shared amenity block providing kitchen and bathroom facilities, parking for four vehicles and storage for two touring caravans. The planning application also stated that the number of vehicle movements in and out of the site would not exceed six per day and that there would be no changes to vehicle or pedestrian access to or from the public highway.
It is clear to see from the road that the number of buildings now on the site is greatly in excess of the number allowed under the granted planning permission and there are now also more people living on the site, along with more vehicles, than was stated in the application. The number of daily vehicle movements in and out of the site is way in excess of the six stated in the planning application with vehicle movements late at night and in the early hours of the morning. A new access to the site from Reepham Road has also been added by bulldozing a gap through the oak trees on the North side of the site causing damage to those trees. A very high and ugly fence has also been erected either side of the track through which the new access goes.
All of the additional buildings, the new access and the large fence that have been erected have been added without seeking any additional planning approvals. The residents of The Oaks clearly see themselves as being above the law and this flagrant breach of planning rules is of great concern in the context of the potential extension of the site. It is highly likely that any new residents of The Oaks would be of a similar mindset and thus the final size and true impact of the expanded site would in reality be far greater than any permissions granted. This is deeply worrying when it also appears that Broadland Council are not prepared to ensure that granted permissions are not exceeded and thus protect the interests and wellbeing of those living near to The Oaks.
The residents of The Oaks have regularly been the source of excessive noise, including the racing of quad bikes on other people’s land in and around Themelthorpe village, which has been detrimental to the enjoyment of the area for other nearby villagers and they have continually shown that they do not respect the local environment in any way. Local residents have also been subjected to threats and intimidation from the residents of The Oaks. These negative impacts will only increase if the site is allowed to grow further.
Whilst acknowledging the need for travellers to be provided with sites on which to live this cannot be at the expense of the localities and environments in which they settle. Developments allowed in any area, whether related to the traveller or non-traveller communities, should be in keeping with the character of the areas and should not have an adverse effect on the local environment. It is our view that with The Oaks at its current scale and with the Oaklands site also on Reepham Road that Foulsham/Themelthorpe has already provided its fair share of traveller sites for such a small village and that other areas of the county must now be found to accommodate additional needs.