Travellers appeal on camp near Staffordshire Hoard site

Travellers who lost their bid to move their caravans on to a field bordering the site where the Staffordshire Hoard was discovered have lodged an appeal.

The Maughan family want to set up a camp and live on the site near Hammerwich. They bought the plot, on the border of Burntwood and Brownhills, at auction three years ago.

Lichfield District Council ruled a camp would be inappropriate development on the land, which is green belt.

But planning agent Alison Heine, representing the Maughans, insists there is room for manoeuvre.

She said: "The council had taken a very safe line. The fact that it involves green belt does not automatically rule out development. It's all a balancing exercise."

Both parties have until August 21 to submit statements containing their arguments. A hearing will be set as soon as practicable afterwards.

The plot, on the south side of Watling Street at Muckley Corner, is next door to the field where the Anglo-Saxon hoard of gold and silver was discovered in 2009.

Before Christmas, the district authority was forced to launch enforcement action when diggers moved in and work was carried out to level the ground and re-seed it.

The plot is owned by Terry Maughan who applied for planning permission on behalf of his estranged wife Bernadette Maughan and her sister Anne-Marie Maughan in February.

Mr Maughan and his family were previously based at the Fishpond Caravan Site in Featherstone. They applied to change the use of the Hammerwich land from agricultural to a site for six mobile homes on four plots with sceptic tanks and utility rooms.

Under government guidance, up to 15 plots are allowed on a site. "So this is relatively small," said Ms Heine.

By Marion Brennan