A planning application has been submitted to create almost 20 caravan pitches in Nottinghamshire. The application was submitted on January 11, 2023 for the change of use to a piece of land at Chestnut Lodge on Barnby Road, Balderton.
It is being requested that the 1.21 hectare piece of land near Newark, which is currently being used as a residential and ancillary paddock, will be used to create 19 caravan pitches and a four-bedroom house. There are currently six car parking spaces at the site, but if permission is granted this will increase to 12 spaces.
According to the application, the pre-application advice given stated that Newark and Sherwood District Council had reviewed and approved the land for around 20 caravan pitches and a new dwelling. This is part of the council's plans to accommodate the future housing needs of Newark's gypsy and traveller population.
The council has been looking to create additional pitches across the district, with other sites such as near Belvoir Iron Works and Winthorpe Road in Newark also being considered. As part of the proposal for pitches at Chestnut Lodge, a supporting statement by Mr T Holmes, who owns and manages the site, explains his reasons for wanting the site.
He wrote: "We have come to a time where gypsy and travellers don’t want to stay on the local common or football playing field or even in a car park because those days are long gone, our community wants somewhere to call home, but because there aren’t enough Gypsy and Traveller sites in the area and because Newark is a travellers town and our people have lived here for centuries, it’s a place where travellers want to live.
"They have many friends and family here so if this site was built I believe it would help Newark as a town because let’s be right, nobody wants the kids' football practice on a Saturday morning to be closed because of gypsy and travellers are encamped on the playing field. If this application is granted, it will mean that they will have somewhere to go and they will also have the right facilities which every human being should be entitled to, which is hot running water and the right toiletries to use, with me personally managing the site they must abide by the rules."
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