A GROUP of Travellers who have made their home on a site in Fobbing for the past few years have been told they must vacate it after losing a planning bid to make the site permanent.

As reported on Thurrock Nub News in April Travellers wanted to make the site on at Manor View, Southend Road, near the Five Bells Roundabout, a permanent one after it was given temporary permission because of personal issues with families that prevailed five years ago.

However, the calendar has now clicked around and the time is coming when the site should be vacated. The Traveller families say they would like to stay and made a submission to Thurrock Council to make the site permanent.

However, after listening to their agent, to neighbours who have complained about alleged anti-social behavior related to the site and the views of officers who recommended refusal, councillors voted to refuse the application.

Members of the planning committee heard a neighbour's statement about problems caused by families at the site – but they were refuted by the agent who said the site was well managed and its residents well-behaved.

But at the end of the day, planning councillors set aside the conflict of opinion and said the prime decision had to be made on planning grounds and as the site was in green belt it was not permissible.

Cllr Gerard Rice suggested a site visit to give councillors an opportunity to view 'both sides' but that was rejected. He said there were elements in favour of the Travellers' argument and that any decision the committee made might be challenged because: "We are vulnerable, we do not have enough Gypsy and Traveller site numbers we should have and we are behind on our local plan".

However, Cllr Mike Fletcher said while he was happy to acknowledge the agent's statement about behavior, that wasn't a key issue and as "this is in the green belt" there was only one decision that could be made.

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That was a view endorsed by Cllr Gary Byrne who said "this site may be well-run but that isn't the point" and the argument for refusal was summed up by non-voting committee member Steve Taylor who said: "The issue is not who is right or wrong in an argument about behavior, the overriding issue is that this is in green belt. Permission was given on a temporary basis for five years and they have made more than enough time to find a solution to the issues.

"They have had five years to deal with this. There may be issues about who is right or wrong in the statements we have heard but that is an aside."

And Cllr Angela Lawrence wrapped up the argument against granting permission, saying: "I feel for the people involved but this is green belt and we have to make a stand."

The officers' recommendation for refusal was then agreed by a majority of members.