A WRANGLE which has seen a traveller embroiled in a long-running dispute with Barnsley Council over his family’s right to remain on land has resulted in the local authority being overruled by a government inspector.

Paddy Connors, who lives on Barnsley Road, Brierley, sought retrospective planning consent in order to gain full permission to stay on the site.

However, Mr Connors’ bid was rejected by the council due to it being situated in the green belt and it having a ‘visually jarring’ appearance.

He subsequently appealed to the Planning Inspectorate, a government-run body whose officers have the power to overrule a council’s decision if rejection is deemed unjustified.

Inspector Helen Hockenhull, whose report was published last week, visited the site in May before siding with the O’Connors and overruling the council.

“The site is well-screened by existing hedgerow and vegetation along the A628, Barnsley Road,” it added.

“Views of the roof of the static caravan can be achieved when heading south-west away from the roundabout to the north-east.

“In the other direction, a gap in the hedgerow affords a glimpsed view.

“I acknowledge that in the winter months the view of the caravans may be a little more prominent, though caravans are not an uncommon feature of a rural landscape.

“It is only when standing at the site entrance that the caravans are more clearly seen.

“This could be further reduced by the provision of supplementary planting.

“I have found that the appeal proposal would not cause harm to the character and appearance of the area and would not form inappropriate development in the green belt.

“The appeal is allowed, and planning permission is granted for the change of use of land to a mixed-use of stationing caravans for residential purposes and keeping of horses on land north-west side.”

The council’s five-year plan to supply gypsies and travellers with more suitable sites was also brought into question by Ms Hockenhull, who said promises to create 19 more pitches was not a ‘realistic prospect’.

“The plan states there is a surplus of eight pitches in the borough and the local plan allocates two sites for gypsy and traveller provision, a total of 19 pitches,” she added.

“Neither of these sites have come forward since the adoption of the plan six years ago.

“I have no evidence that the council has made any efforts to bring this forward and the council could give no information about any future plans to do so.

“Having regard to the evidence before me, indicating a lack of a realistic prospect of the sites coming forward within the next five years, they cannot be considered to be deliverable.

“The sites cannot therefore contribute to the five-year supply in the borough.”

No more than two caravans, as defined in the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960 and the Caravan Sites Act 1968, shall be stationed on the site at any time, according to the regulations set out.

The Connors family, who have been taken to court by the council over previous planning rows, were also refused permanent consent at a neighbouring site on Mackey Lane, Brierley, but now have permission to stay on Brierley Road.

A spokesperson for Friends, Families and Travellers, which works on behalf of communities across the UK, said a national shortage of safe stopping places has caused an increase in gypsies and travellers living on roadside camps.

They added ‘entire families are stranded with nowhere else to go’.

“National government must ensure councils have the appropriate funding in place so that families can access secure living conditions through the creation of more safe stopping places,” they said.

“Everyone deserves a safe place to rest.”