A BARNSLEY businessman wants to open a gypsy site on green belt land between Lundwood and Cudworth. But Derek Heeley admits it is just a ploy to get the land taken out of the green belt so he can build on it. He said that when he bought the land 15 years ago his long term plan was to build houses on the old Cudworth railway station, but, despite making previous planning applications, each has been turned down. Now he wants to put 24 gypsy and travellers' caravans there. “When I bought the land I wanted to convert the old station into cottages. I always intended to build there. My idea was to get it out of green belt and build there," he said. "I know this application is going to get kicked straight out, but I have got the chance of an appeal. The government say they have to find somewhere for travelling people, Barnsley have not put it in any development plan so where are they going to put these people? "I have applied to take it out of green belt, if I get the rubberstamp for this it does not mean to say I will let the travellers have it."

Under government legislation Barnsley has to provide gypsy and traveller places. There are currently 43 caravans on the council site at Smithies and a further ten on a private site, although last September the council acknowledged there was a 64-caravan waiting list. Mr Heeley has been accused of using the gypsies as pawns to get the land released. Peter Kwapisz, of Station Road, Lundwood, where the site will be accessed from, said: “I have several friends who are travellers. They deserve to be better treated and catered for rather than a strategic pawn in a local landowner's attempt to release green belt land.