A BID to allow land near a recreation ground to be used as a transit site for Gypsy Travellers won’t be decided until the new year.
Between four and six caravans have been on the land, without planning permission, since October 2023 prompting an enforcement investigation which led to an application for permission to lawfully use the site.
That would have limited the use as a transit site for the Gypsy Traveller community for no more than two caravans, with a car parking space for each vehicle. Stays would be limited to a maximum of three months in any 12 month period.
The application was being recommended for approval, with conditions, and due to be decided by Torfaen Borough Council’s planning committee at its Wednesday, December 18 meeting.
But it was pulled from the agenda at the eleventh hour with committee chair Councillor Norma Parish indicating it would be considered at a later date.
She told councillors: “As we all know that will not be considered at this meeting.”
The application had been made by Tony Janes, of Bluebell Bungalow in Talywain, near Pontypool, and covered land beside his home and accessed via a lane, known as Church Road.
His original application stated the use of the land, previously part of the garden of a house on Commercial Road, would be for “occasional visiting family members”. A shower block would also be provided and a sceptic tank that is currently in place would be removed and the site connected to the sewerage network. Water and electricity is already provided from Mr Janes’ bungalow.
The application was later amended as it included land that wasn’t in Mr Janes ownership and a wall he has built on land outside of his ownership is also due to be demolished, though disputes between the applicant and neighbours, over access, and the council related to the nearby playing field will have to be resolved outside of the planning process.
The number of proposed caravans has also reduced from four with the current application covering land only in the applicant’s ownership and smaller than the current unathorised site.
There had been 52 objections to the application ranging from fear it would decrease property values, which the committee report made clear isn’t a valid planning consideration, to concern existing access to the nearby playing fields and some properties has already been blocked and how caravans would enter the site through the narrow lane.
Manoeuvring of the caravans within the site will be by mechanical gear for easier movements and this could be done while cars are parked within the site.
There were no objections to the latest proposals from the council’s highways department.