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Dale Farm group ask Essex inquiry for two new sites | |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Former residents of the UK's largest unauthorised travellers' site are to argue at a public inquiry for two new places to live in Essex. | |
The Dale Farm Residents Association is to make its case at the Basildon Centre and will ask for a mobile-home park in Church Lane in nearby Laindon. | |
It also wants a second site near Dale Farm, at Gardiner's Lane in Crays Hill. | |
Both sites belong to the Homes and Communities Agency which offered them to Basildon Council as traveller plots. | Both sites belong to the Homes and Communities Agency which offered them to Basildon Council as traveller plots. |
The inquiry will consider the council's decision to refuse planning permission for 12 permanent plots. | |
The council is challenging a claim from the travellers that 60 temporary pitches to meet their immediate need of travellers would also be considered. | |
They describe this as "misinformation". | |
Many former residents have parked caravans in lanes near their former homes at Dale Farm. | Many former residents have parked caravans in lanes near their former homes at Dale Farm. |
'Rising to challenge' | 'Rising to challenge' |
The hearing follows last month's clearance of the six-acre site in Crays Hill following a decade-long row over unauthorised plots. | The hearing follows last month's clearance of the six-acre site in Crays Hill following a decade-long row over unauthorised plots. |
There were violent clashes between police and protesters during the operation. | There were violent clashes between police and protesters during the operation. |
Many families have settled on the legal half of Dale Farm, exceeding its authorised capacity. | Many families have settled on the legal half of Dale Farm, exceeding its authorised capacity. |
Dale Farm residents' campaigner Grattan Puxon said: "Council leader Tony Ball turned around last week and advised homeless travellers to seek residence permits through proper channels. | Dale Farm residents' campaigner Grattan Puxon said: "Council leader Tony Ball turned around last week and advised homeless travellers to seek residence permits through proper channels. |
"Rising to this challenge, residents will put their case to a public inquiry." | "Rising to this challenge, residents will put their case to a public inquiry." |
At its peak, some 400 people lived on Dale Farm. | |
No doubling up | |
A Basildon Council spokesman said a planning application for a site in Church Road at Laindon was limited to 12 pitches. | |
"Each pitch or plot considered in the application is designed to accommodate one family," he said. | |
"Any suggestion of families doubling up on pitches would be strenuously resisted by the council as it goes against established best practice. | |
"In any case, if there were to be any variation in the number of plots, this would need to be the subject of a separate planning application. | |
"Suggestions that the appeal hearing is to consider up to 60 temporary plots are completely inaccurate and untrue. | |
"This is misinformation which does nothing to serve the travellers' cause in the long run." |
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