Warning issued over prospective Gypsy Traveller site

Twm Owen, local democracy reporter

Land ruled out as potential Gypsy Traveller sites could have to be reconsidered if a decision to press ahead with a preferred plot isn’t supported.

That was the warning from the councillor who has led the search for a Gypsy Traveller site in Monmouthshire and last month put forward a field known as Bradbury Farm in the village of Crick, near Caerwent.

Monmouthshire deputy leader Paul Griffiths told the council’s cabinet, which agreed the recommendation to include Bradbury Farm in its deposit replacement local development plan as a potential seven pitch Gypsy Traveller site, without a decision the process would continue as the authority has a “legal and moral duty” to meet the assessed need.

Full council

The full council will be asked to approve the deposit plan – which sets out how land in the county should be used or protected – in October for a public consultation before a final version is submitted, in 2025, to the Welsh Government for approval.

“If council seeks to overturn approval today or (the replacement local development plan) is not approved by the council the uncertainty continues and all options are back on the table and why I believe it’s not in the interest of anyone in the county approval is not achieved or the deposit plan is not supported by the full council,” said Cllr Griffiths.

He’d been asked by Labour cabinet colleague, Angela Sandles who represents Magor East with Undy, if approval for Bradbury Farm would mean residents in her area who objected to a potential site at Langley Close, in Magor, could consider the matter concluded. The council had also considered a site, Oak Grove, in Portskewett.

Independent councillor for Magor West, Francis Taylor, asked as Langley Close was identified as unsuitable by technical reports, itcould be “ruled out in perpetuity”.

Cllr Griffiths said he couldn’t control decisions of any future cabinet or administration in relation to the next development plan that could be drawn up in 10 or 15 years but said Langley Close isn’t included in the plan he is responsible for.

The cabinet decision is to only include the site in the plan, any proposal to develop it would still be subject to a full planning application.

Criteria 

Conservative opposition leader Cllr Richard John said Bradbury Farm didn’t meet criteria for sites set out by the Welsh Government or the Travelling Ahead advocacy group.

Cllr Griffiths said the council had worked with the local Traveller community and a representative from Travelling Ahead had supported the proposed site.

Cllr John also asked how “concreating over” Bradbury Farm aligned with the council having declared a climate and nature emergency.

Cllr Griffiths replied: “Concrete over…never let a cliche get in the way of a good question.”

He said the climate emergency doesn’t prevent “balanced development” and Bradbury Farm could be developed alongside 700 new homes nearby, which would meet environmental standards, with half being affordable, with walking routes into Caldicot.

He also defended the decision after Portskewett Conservative Lisa Dymock, whose ward includes Crick, asked why it will put the site to a further consultation, on the development plan, when the council is aware “residents have expressed clear objections”.

Cllr Griffiths also confirmed Bradbury Farm isn’t in a flood plain and said working with neighbouring authorities on a combined site had been ruled out as the council supports small sites of less than 10 pitches.