Travellers’ site refused

Plans for a new travellers site off a busy road near Frome have been roundly refused by district councillors.

An application had been submitted to build a new travellers pitch on Vinney Lane off the A361, not far from the River Frome.

Mendip District Council refused plans for similar proposals on the site in 2019, arguing that emergency vehicles could not safely access the site.

The council’s planning board upheld this decision on Wednesday evening (May 19), with one councillor describing the proposals as “dangerous”.

The site, which lies to the south of the A361, can currently only be accessed by the narrow Vinney Lane via a locked gate on the main road. The plans involve the creation of a single pitch with hardstanding, a mobile home, touring caravan, day room and septic tank – with unconfirmed reports than some of this work had already been put in place.

Selwood Parish Council and the Friends of River Frome campaign group issued a joint statement decrying the development, and called for new travellers’ sites to be provided in more sustainable locations.

They said, “This is unsuitable and intrusive development – and if permitted, would set a precedent for other inappropriate developments within the landscape setting of the river.

“We are also concerned about the management of sewage and the possibility that the septic tank could be flooded. We will support the establishment of travellers’ sites. We urge that they are guided to appropriate locations where they are closer to amenities, in locations that are not at risk of flooding, have no adverse environmental conditions, and where their impact is no intrusive to undeveloped riverside landscapes.”

Dr Simon Ruston, representing the applicant, said Vinney Lane was wide enough to accommodate a fire engine, on the basis of video evidence submitted to the council of a lorry driving to the site.

He said, “Iveco Daily lorries have the same width as the fire engines used in Frome fire station; as such it is entirely feasible for a fire appliance to access the site.”

Councillor Shannon Brooke, whose Beckington and Selwood ward includes the site, said the area was not suitable for travellers and could not be made safe without further damaging the environment.

She said, “Mendip does need to provide the requisite number of travellers’ pitches. However, allocated sites must be fit for purpose – and this site is not.

“A 23-metre access splay seems unachievable without ripping out the hedgerow of the next field, which is not owned by the applicant.”

Councillor Laura Waters said the lack of a formal statement from Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service made it difficult to judge how safe the access was. She said, “We need to have the fire brigade check that a vehicle can get down. There’s no obvious signs of any pull-in places for other vehicles. I’m concerned that emergency vehicles couldn’t get to, say, a young family living on that site. We may pass something here which is dangerous.”

Councillor Edric Hobbs added, “If people are using a locked gate to access the main road, then that’s absolute madness – that’s one of the fastest, busiest roads in the area.”

Councillor Nick Cottle, however, warned that the council would struggle to defend any refusal if an appeal were lodged with the Planning Inspectorate.

He said, “I believe that we would have a real problem if we refused this. Our hands are tied.”

Despite this, the board voted to refuse the plans by a margin of 11 votes to two, with one abstention.