CONTROVERSIAL plans for a transit site for travellers on green belt land in Poole have been rejected after hundreds of objections were filed.
In May last year an application to transform land next to Waggy Tails Rescue off Magna Road in Bearwood into a space catering for at least 10 caravans and associated vehicles was submitted.
A permanent toilet and shower block for use by travellers and gypsies also formed part of the proposals.
However, the plans were dealt considerable blows following a deluge of opposition from hundreds of residents who cited impact on the green belt, sewage capabilities, and anti-social behaviour worries as calls for concern.
More than one year since plans were submitted, BCP Council have refused the scheme – highlighting “visual openness” and “intensification of vehicle movements” as major reasons why.
The decision report said: “The proposals would reduce the visual openness of the site. The proposed development is therefore 'inappropriate' and is not supported.
“Inappropriate development is by definition harmful to the green belt and should not be approved except in very special circumstances. There are no very special circumstances associated with the proposals that would counter the harm identified.
“The intensification of vehicle movements on and off Magna Road associated with the proposal will result in an unacceptable increase in highway safety dangers for highway users and drivers utilising the site access.
"The scheme has failed to demonstrate that it would have a suitable relationship with the public rising main sewer that crosses the site or the nearby Magna Road sewage pumping station."
Reacting to the decision, Bearwood ward councillor David Brown told the Echo: “It was an unusual application in that it came from a private landowner. While the conurbation definitely needs these sites, it has to be in the right locality and green belt land along a main road is not appropriate.
“Frankly the decision should have been made much quicker as it went on for over a year, but it is a welcomed one.
“It’s very difficult to tick all the right boxes but we do need one, two or even three transit sites across the conurbation because unauthorised encampments are a big issue. But this site just wasn’t viable.”
At present, BCP Council has no plans to introduce any permanent or temporary traveller sites this year.
Such lack of provision was mentioned by Dorset Police in its support of the application. They said: "Every year the conurbation is visited by numerous illegal encampments of travellers. Police commanders are persistently frustrated by not having an available transit site they can move an illegal encampment to under their powers.
"Having a transit site which is available and allows only short stays would prevent unlawful encampments being set up."
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