Appeal against enforcement notice over Gypsy and Traveller pitches off Cambridge’s Fen Road is dismissed

Cambridge: So, there was this appeal about a caravan site off Fen Road that just got shot down. The planning inspector said the place, Grassy Corner Caravan Park, has expanded too much and isn’t really fit for Gypsies and Travellers.

This site has been around since the 1980s, but now it’s got 35 caravans, which is way more than what was originally allowed. The council issued an enforcement notice because they found out that some hardstanding was laid down and caravans were moved without permission.

The notice wanted the caravans gone and the hardstanding removed. A bunch of appeals were filed, and it all went to the Planning Inspectorate. The appellants claimed the site was helping not just Gypsies and Travellers but also Ukrainian refugees and asylum seekers. But the inspector said there wasn’t enough proof to back that up.

They argued that the site should be considered lawful since they thought there was permission for 23 caravans, but the inspector wasn’t convinced. They pointed out that the land had been open and undeveloped for a long time, which was important for the green belt.

The inspector also mentioned that the way the caravans were set up didn’t really meet the needs of Gypsy and Traveller families. There were no clear pitches, no space for touring caravans, and no proper facilities for kids or sanitation. It just didn’t cut it.

Even though the inspector acknowledged the need for more Gypsy and Traveller homes in South Cambridgeshire, they said the harm caused by the site’s development was too significant to ignore. So, the enforcement notice stands, and those affected have six months to move out.

Interestingly, the inspector noted that there’s a high turnover at the site, which suggests many folks are looking for better places to live. They decided to give a bit more time for the hardstanding to be taken up, though.