Unanimous vote against South Staffordshire gipsy site expansion
Parish councillors have unanimously voted against plans to expand a gipsy caravan site on green belt land in South Staffordshire.
The development put forward for Bursnips Road in Essington would see seven new caravan pitches installed as well as a day room and seven 'utility blocks'.
But members of Essington Parish Council said the scheme would have an impact of the infrastructure of the village and will damage green belt land.
All ten councillors present at the meeting last night rejected the plans although the final decision will be made by South Staffordshire Council.
Parish council chairman and South Staffordshire Councillor David Clifft said: "This needs to be rejected on planning grounds. The applicant has to prove that their circumstances require this expansion."
The applicant, Mr Clee, has lived at the site since 1987, together with his family, who are Romany gipsies.
An application document submitted to the council says the extension would be used only to accommodate the Clee family, three generations of which live together on the land.
