Councillors have rejected their own authority’s planned Traveller site in a Peak District town following scores of objections, discrimination claims and a legal threat.
At a three-hour Derbyshire Dales District Council meeting last night (June 24), councillors opted to reject the authority’s own application for a temporary two-year plot for a specific homeless Traveller family on the Old Station Close car park in Rowsley.
Councillors highlighted the reduction in parking spaces, impact on a disabled arts charity and its users, disruption to residents and businesses and the effect on a neighbouring cycle trail.
This followed nearly 100 objections from residents filed to the council, along with opposition from the Derbyshire County Council and Rowsley Parish Council.
Council papers had detailed that the specific homeless family, who identify as Romani Gypsy, were already on the site, but residents said this was not the case and that the relevant family was staying in Ashbourne.
Council officials confirmed that a different, third Traveller family, who are not yet registered as homeless, were staying on the site and seeking the authority’s support.
The planning application had followed a council approval in December to allocate temporary two-year Traveller sites for the specific families for parts of the year – with Rowsley only to be used between March and October.
Cllr Sue Hobson, former district council leader, said she “strongly” objected to the plans and that she had made formal complaints to the authority over what she feels has been a “flawed process”.
She said there will be a legal challenge made to the council if the plans were approved.
Cllr Hobson said there had been a failure to properly assess equality and that the scheme represented a “travesty of planning and a betrayal of the people of Rowsley”.
Kerry Andrews, director of the neighbouring Level Centre for disabled artists who claimed there was “ingrained ableism and discrimination” demonstrated by the council.
Families whose children use the centre said it needed protection to retain its viability and community benefit, with concerns over the lack of essential parking for disabled people.
The council confirmed it had received a legal letter saying a judicial review will be brought against the authority if it approved the scheme.
David Gibbs, an objecting resident, said his newly opened flour business could be at risk of closing if the plans were approved, having suffered a halving in takings when part of the car park was used by Severn Trent earlier this year.
Cllr Helen Froggatt, a district councillor, said the Level Centre was a “vital community asset” which must be protected.
Cllr Kathy Potter, of Rowsley Parish Council, called the plans “shoddy, if not negligent” in their alleged ignorance of local opinions.
She said the district council was “determined to have its own way” and that it was “truly irresponsible and downright dangerous” to accommodate the family next to a river.
John Youatt, a campaigner and planning consultant who has advocated for housing Travellers on an approved site known as the Woodyard near Cromford, claimed Travellers had been “discriminated against for 15 years”.
James Button, a Rowsley resident, said the district council was purely acting out of “political expediency” and was “desperate” to approve a Traveller site.
He claimed the council had previously had to clear human faeces from the site when it was last used as a Traveller site, saying that the former use was “wholly unpleasant”.
Steve Buffery, strategic planning manager for the county council, on behalf of the authority, said the plot was not suitable for a Traveller site, saying it was “particularly concerned” about the proximity of the tourist attraction the White Peak Loop cycling and walking route.
He raised concerns about the lack of a soft play area for the proposed Traveller family and the perception that they could be “isolated” and “segregated” from the surrounding community.
Mark Simmonds, interim development manager for the council, said the “perfect” Traveller site did not exist and that this plot would provide temporary relief for some of the district’s needs.
He said whether the intended user actually ends up using the site was not a consideration the council could take.
Cllr Stuart Lees, Conservative Group leader, said the plot was not sustainable, that public opposition had gone “unnoticed” and that it would not be ready until 2026.
Cllr Gareth Gee said the council must admit when it makes a mistake and that it was a “big mistake” to bring the Rowsley plot forward, when the family want a plot in the south of the Dales.
He said his daughter, who is studying planning at university, had said the plans were contrary to the Local Plan.
Cllr Gee said people would not want to use the car park, with Cllr David Hughes also saying people would suffer “severe anxiety” in using the Level Centre and also not use that facility.
Cllr Peter Dobbs said these plans represented part of an agreed strategy to accommodate homeless Traveller families.
He agreed there were “issues” with the plot but did not want to “make perfect the enemy of the good”.
Cllr Sue Burfoot said: “A very dusty, dark, dismal car park is not the place for the Travellers. I think it is pretty clear that they won’t like it there.”
Cllr Lucy Peacock, vice chair, said the public interest in providing a home for a specific family overrode the objections.
Cllr Neil Buttle, Green Party Group leader and co-deputy council leader, said the Traveller family were living with “constantly not being accepted by nearby communities” and needed somewhere to stay.
Councillors voted to reject the plans with seven councillors voting for refusal and three voting against.
