A long-awaited planning application to construct traveller pitches at Cledford Hall has been submitted, writes Ethan Davies.
The bid, which would provide a temporary accommodation “transit site” for 10 pitches and an amenity block, has been brought forward by Cheshire East Council.
It is the latest step in the £2.2 million project which could open up in January next year.
Cheshire East has failed to provide a transit site for travellers in the borough, which has left police with few powers to prevent unauthorised camps.
Nantwich and surrounding area has been hit by dozens of unauthorised encampments over the past few years on Barony Park, Volunteer Fields, Love Lane and Snow Hill car parks, and Crewe Vagrants in Willaston.
However, some councillors have said they think the location for the proposed transit site is unsuitable.
Middlewich Cllr Jonathan Parry said last month: “Yes there needs to be one in Cheshire East, that is a demand, but it has got to be put at the right place and Cledford Lane is not the right place.
“It should be put in a place which is accessible and which would be suitable for housing because they are classing this as affordable housing – even though people have to bring their houses there.
“If it is classed as housing it should be on a site that is suitable for housing – and that site isn’t.”
Having a transit site will mean police have powers to direct travellers to the designated site from unauthorised encampments.
It is the second time a planning application has been submitted for the site, with the first in 2015 seeing its permission lapsing in 2018 without work beginning.
A design and access statement on the 2021 application said: “Transit pitches are permanent sites used to provide only temporary accommodation for their residents.
“Lengths of stay can vary but are usually set at between 28 days and three months, although practice on transit sites tends to be controlled by the council in respect to the amount of time people are permitted to stay.
“The requirements for transit sites reflect the fact that they are not intended for use as a permanent base for an individual household.
“The proposed layout of the site has taken into consideration the guidance provided in the Gypsy and Traveller Sites – Good Practice Guide.
“The proposals are intended to provide convenience for residents, safety for residents, visual and acoustic privacy – both for people living on the site and those living nearby.”
You can view the plans on Cheshire East’s planning portal using reference ‘21/1205C’, or click here.
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