Fear of influx over gipsy site loophole

An influx of gipsies and travellers will have the right to move into South Staffordshire because camps granted permission on appeal are only classed as temporary - meaning they do not count towards the council's quota.

South Staffordshire Council has to provide 30 gipsy pitches by 2012 and a further 12 by 2017 following government guidance. Its policy was introduced after a series of applications for gipsy sites being approved by the Government on appeal because of a lack of provision.

But some of the approvals have resulted in only temporary consent being granted, which does not count towards the council target.

The council currently has 24 permanent pitches, but there are seven temporary pitches on Wolverhampton Road, Penkridge, six at Hospital Lane, Cheslyn Hay, and one at Poolhouse Nurseries, Wombourne.

Effectively, the council has already exceeded its requirement up to 2012 but the planning inspectorate only recognises the 24 permanent pitches.

Now more pitches may have to be given full approval in order to fill the requirement and to prevent inspectors hearing future appeals again deciding there is not enough provision for gipsies in the district.

South Staffordshire Council has now written to the secretary of state asking that temporary pitches are taken into account.

David Pattison, director of legal and public health protection services, said: "The secretary of state and planning inspectors seem to be ignoring the temporary planning permissions when assessing whether we have met the need for gipsy pitches in South Staffordshire as required by government guidance.

"We disagree with this approach and have taken external legal advice on this which supports our view.

"We've now written to the secretary of state asking him to reconsider his approach."

Featherstone councillor Bob Cope said: "The inspectorate needs to get its act together on this because if more come forward it will put the council in a difficult position."