A date has been set for an appeal hearing after permission to create a new gypsy and traveller site was denied.

Last year, Mr James Gammell applied for planning permission for Tricky's Paddock on Brickworth Road in Whiteparish.

Wiltshire Council refused the application (ref: 20/06783/FUL) in October.

The application was to change the use of the land to a residential gypsy and traveller site for two pitches, each pitch accommodating two caravans, including no more than one static caravan or mobile home.

It also included plans for a dayroom, as well as the laying of hardstanding and installing a package sewage treatment plant.

Read more: Appeal after plans for new gypsy and traveller site refused

The grounds for refusal was that it would result in an increase in the number of pitches within the site "in an area of the site that has little screening within the wider landscape and would be visible from the main Brickworth Road (A27) to the north".

Whiteparish Parish Council also objected to the plans, on the grounds that the site would be visible from Brickworth Road, which is "likely to result in undue and detrimental visual impacts on the character of the surrounding Special Landscape Area".

In the case officer's report, the parish council said: "Previous planning applications conditions have been flouted and the Parish Council has been perplexed by the lack of enforcement by the planning authority including previously imposed occupancy conditions not being enforced.

"There are designated gypsy and traveller sites and this is not one.

"This application would result in an increase in the number of pitches from one to two, with a new pitch becoming established to the immediate west of the existing and a consequent increase (doubling) of the number of caravans, permanent structures and associated vehicles, associated paraphernalia in an area of the site that has little screening within the wider landscape and would be visible from the main Brickworth Road (A27) to the north.

"In this respect it is considered the development would be likely to result in undue and detrimental visual impacts on the character of the surrounding Special Landscape Area."

Sam Fox, Director Economic Development & Planning, added in their decision letter: "Whilst new planting around the additional pitch and extended site area is shown on the submitted proposed plans, this would likely take a number of years to establish and mature sufficiently to provide a meaningful and appropriate level of screening in order to sufficiently mitigate the adverse visual impact of the additional pitch within the character of the surrounding landscape.

"In this respect it is considered the development would be likely to result in undue and detrimental visual impacts on the character of the surrounding Special Landscape Area."

The public hearing will take place on Tuesday, January 25, 2022, attended by the local planning authority, the appellant and a presiding inspector.

It will start at 10am at The Red Lion Hotel, Milford Street, Salisbury, and is currently scheduled to last one day.

Documents relating to the appeal can be viewed on the Council website.

Members of the public may attend the hearing and, at the inspector’s discretion, express their views.

If you wish to receive a copy of the appeal decision letter you should email the Planning Inspectorate (quoting the reference number) with your request to west1@planninginspectorate.gov.uk

This is the latest in a line of planning applications submitted for the land.

In October 2018 (ref: 18/09609/VAR), permission was granted for "no more than two caravans" to be stationed on the land at any one time.

This was approved "in the interests of amenity and the character of the surrounding landscape".

In May 2019 (ref: 19/04590/VAR), an application was submitted to make the land permanent's use a gypsy pitch, for use by anyone who is a gypsy or traveller, rather than the named residents of the land.

This was refused in July 2019, for the reason that it would result in an increase in the number of pitches within the site "in an area of the site that has little screening within the wider landscape and would be visible from the main Brickworth Road (A27) to the north".

When asked to comment, Cllr Nick Botterill, Cabinet Member for Development Management said: “There is an extensive planning history for this site.

"Our decision to refuse application 20/06783/FUL has been appealed by the applicant to the Planning Inspectorate, and this appeal is yet to be determined.

“Appeal statements by Wiltshire Council and the appellant are available to view on our planning website.

"As there is a live appeal, we cannot provide further comment on this planning application at this time.”

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