Coseley travellers site could move to another location

The site, earmarked for disused council land in Coseley, was given the green light under the former Conservative leadership.

But the new Dudley Labour administration has put the project on hold over ‘concerns raised’ about the planning process.

The new leader of the council, Pete Lowe, has asked for a review process of the temporary travellers site.

Councillor Kieran Casey, cabinet member for regeneration, said: “These plans have been put on hold and the council wants to be make sure we have looked at all the sites available.

“We are not ruling out that the site could be relocated elsewhere.”

The project was drawn up to clamp down on illegal traveller camps in the borough which are costly to taxpayers.

But the plans sparked a public outcry from residents and businesses in the Coseley neighbourhood.

Hundreds signed a petition while local MP Pat McFadden wrote to the Government objecting the plans, which were last moth given planning permission by Dudley Council.

But the Government declared it would not intervene in the matter and gave its backing to the local authority to make a final decision.

However that was when the Conservatives were in power. Last month Labour took back control at a crunch meeting after they regained more council seats.

Council leader Pete Lowe said at the time: “While we recognise the value in a temporary travellers site in the borough we are reviewing the decision to make sure it’s built in the most appropriate place.

“We will make sure that review is done as swiftly as possible, but at this point we are not ruling any options in or out.”

The planned site in Coseley would cost the council £280,000 to build. But the council already spends £150,000 each year on clean-up bills and legal fees tackling illegal camps.

Campaigners in Coseley have welcomed the halt of the project. Tony Sheldon, of the Coseley Focus campaign group, said: “Yes this gives us hope that the travellers’ site could end up not being built in Coseley.”

The long-running row over the temporary travellers’ transit site has seen nearby businesses threatening to leave and campaigners protesting on the steps of Dudley Council house.

The former leader of the council, Patrick Harley, called for the public’s trust and said the Budden Road site would be the ‘best deterrent’ the authority could provide.

Mr Harley hoped the site, which would look to house up to 40 caravans, would have been and fully functioning by February. But now the future of the plans looks to be up in the air as leading councillors say the new Labour leadership are looking at other available sites.