Villagers fuming over travellers' plans
Controversial plans have gone in to extend a travellers' site in South Staffordshire by 13 new caravan pitches and six utilities blocks.
However, the proposal for the site in Bursnips Road, Essington, is set to be opposed.
Chair of Essington Parish Council, Councillor David Clifft today described the application as "an intrusion on to green belt land." He said villagers were getting sick and tired of countless schemes of this nature.
Councillor Clift, who is also a district councillor on South Staffordshire Council, said: "It seems on a weekly basis that we are getting an application in for a traveller site in Essington. The applicants keep chipping away but the same issues we have argued against for previous sites still applies now.
"It's an intrusion on to greenbelt land, it will affect the village's infrastructure and there will be more traffic on the roads.
"An application of this size is like building a mini-estate and we will put forward our comments to the district council later this month."
It comes hot on the heels of another controversial application last month.
Proposals for a caravan site to be set up via the Camping and Caravanning Club on Long Lane in the village were rejected.
Bill Watton had originally wanted to put three caravans – containing two gipsy households– at the back of his house .
It was thrown out by council chiefs after sparking outrage among residents.
But Mr Watton returned again with plans submitted to set up a small certified campsite which can take up to five caravans or motorhomes, along with a maximum of 10 tents.
It was refused after Councillor Clifft and caravan bosses agreed it would "open the flood gates to similar applications in the future".
