MEMBERS of Studley Parish Council have reiterated their opposition to a Traveller residential caravan site on the Redditch Road.
The site, between Redditch and Studley near the junction with Green Lane, has been occupied for little over a year since the Travellers, without planning permission, moved on to the land located in the green belt.
An entrance was laid, fencing erected and a gate – complete with a name, Oaklands – and letterbox were put up.
A retrospective planning application was then lodged with Stratford District Council for a ‘residential caravan site for two pitches for occupation by Gypsy Traveller Family with associated hard standing, package treatment plant, utility blocks, storage sheds and dog runs’ later in June, 2019.
Following a spate of delays, by February 2020 planning officers at Stratford were recommending the application for approval, even though to do so would go against the district’s own planning policy – namely no development in the green belt and to maintain the separation between Redditch and Studley.
Parish councillors had also argued that if development on green belt land was given the go-ahead here it would set a precedent for the rest of Stratford district.
By March 2020 district councillors of the planning committee had once again deferred making a decision on the application, which has so far received 59 letters of objection with one in favour.
The application is now due to be heard once again on July 15 in Stratford.
And at a recent Studley parish council meeting members once again underlined their opposition to it, saying: “We reinforce our objections to this and ask that it be determined as soon as possible.
“This site is suffering huge damage.”
