Travellers lose long battle to stay on Meriden site

[dutchman]

Travellers living on green belt land near Coventry have lost a bitter 18-month battle with residents.



Gipsy families moved on to land they own in Eaves Green Lane, Meriden, on the May Day bank holiday weekend last year. As soon as they arrived residents set up protest camps.

The travellers, who had been living in Balsall Common before moving to Meriden, put in a planning application but it was refused earlier last year by Solihull council.

They appealed against that decision but yesterday, after months of deliberation, that appeal was thrown out by Eric Pickles MP, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

He upheld a planning inspector’s decision that the appeal should be dismissed because it is in the green belt.

The travellers will now decide whether to go to the High Court and appeal against that decision or leave the site.

There were indications last night that they were planning to hold talks which could see them move on – possibly within weeks.

Residents in Meriden were last night celebrating the ruling that the camp must go. There were hugs and cheers as they received the news although some people were worried it might take much longer to end the battle.

[dutchman]

Travellers lose high court battle to remain in Meriden



Travellers who set up an illegal camp on greenbelt land in Meriden have lost their case in their battle to remain.

The defiant gypsies, led by Noah Burton, lost their appeal against the Secretary of State for communities Eric Pickle’s decision to refuse them planning permission, this afternoon.

Judge Robert Owen, sitting as a subsidiary of the High Court, spent 90 minutes considering five areas of concern put forward by Mr Burton before dismissing their case.

Judge Owen said: “In the circumstances of this case, there is no legal or proper basis to justify interference with the decision and application is dismissed.”

Judge Owen also said costs should be paid by the complainant.

Members of Residents Against Inappropriate Development who have been manning a counter camp opposite the gypsies site on Eaves Green Lane for nearly 700 days, welcomed the outcome.

David McGrath from RAID, said: “This is a comprehensive rebuttal of the travellers case.

“A learned judge has found that there is no inequality in the way that the council and Secretary of State dealt with the case. there is no merit in the planning application whatsoever.

“We hope that the travellers do not try a Dale Farm style appeal funded through legal aid."