Gavin Williamson, MP for South Staffordshire, has urged South Staffordshire Council to reject two planning applications for gypsy sites in Coven and Newtown.
Gavin has written to the chief executive of the Council, Steve Winterflood, to voice his concerns over the proposals.
In his letter, he referenced an announcement from Brandon Lewis MP, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG), about the recent cancellation of the ‘Equality and diversity in planning’ rules.
On July 1, Mr. Lewis said the guidance practice – which was issued by the last Administration – was ‘outdated, excessive in length (at 186 pages), and sends unhelpful signals about the planning process’.
He also spoke of the DCLG’s new Planning policy for traveller sites (paragraphs 4, 14 and 23), which was published in March 2012.
The paper states that ‘plan-making and decision-taking should protect Green Belt from inappropriate development’, that ‘traveller sites (temporary or permanent) in the Green Belt are inappropriate development’ and ‘local planning authorities should strictly limit new traveller site development in open countryside.’
Furthermore, it confirms that unmet need does not in itself constitute the ‘very special circumstances’ necessary to permit inappropriate development in the Green Belt.
Gavin urged the Council to consider these new guidelines on gypsy sites before making a decision on the applications for 1) an additional Gypsy/Traveller pitch in Brewood Road, Coven, and 2) for a COU residential garden to house three caravans, for two gypsy households, on the land to the rear of 57a Long Lane, Newtown.
Gavin said: “I think that the scrapping of this ridiculous policy is extremely sensible. We are very lucky to live in such a stunning area and I know that the protection of this is of paramount concern not just to me, but to many South Staffordshire residents.
“I hope that the Council will take note of these new guidelines, when making any future decisions on planning applications for gypsy sites. John Prescott dreamt up these stupid rules and I am glad to see they are being thrown out.”