A large family of travellers who face being booted out of their home in Gretna say they feel “completely let down” by Dumfries and Galloway Council.
George and Jenny Allan, both aged 74, are part of a nine-strong traveller family who recently lost an appeal against a council decision to evict them from land they bought near Raydale Park Stadium.
Despite losing their appeal at Scottish Government level nearly a month ago, no one from Holyrood or the council has been in touch with the Allan family to properly inform them.
They only discovered the shock news that they could be turfed out of their home from the media – and are suffering anxiety and sleepless nights over their uncertain future.
George said: “I’ve heard nothing from the council. The only thing I’ve heard is people I know ringing me up and saying ‘You’re place has been turned down’.
“I’m dyslexic, I can’t read or write. I don’t buy newspapers and have just heard people saying that it’s been turned down. It’s all news to me.
“I’ve not received a single letter from Dumfries and Galloway Council, and feel completely let down.
“It’s getting on top of us all this. My wife’s bad with her nerves over it, she’s not even sleeping.”
George and Jenny, and their daughter Elizabeth and her six children, set up home on an unauthorised site next to Loanwath Road around two-and-a-half years ago.
While they bought the land and two static caravans/chalets costing £60,000 each, the family did not have planning consent and were forced to seek retrospective planning permission.
This was refused by Dumfries and Galloway Council in September last year – and the family’s appeal to the Scottish Government has now been rejected.
At previous planning committees, the matter was discussed at length by councillors and concern was shown for the welfare of the family and Elizabeth’s six children. There were also talks of working with other departments to support the Allans.
However, at last week’s planning committee, there were no such talks.
Committee chairman, Councillor Jim Dempster, said: “I’d be grateful if we didn’t engage in discussion about this particular agenda item, it’s for noting only.
“If anyone has any questions or wants to discuss the matter, I would suggest they speak to Mr Suttie (council planning and development manager) offline.”
Four local residents living nearby had lodged objections with the council over the Allan family setting up home in the chalets, complaining that they were overbearing and caused a loss of
privacy.
