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Travellers' site near homes plan scrapped
Anger over plan leads to 900-name petition.
Travellers' site near homes plan scrapped
RESidents have won a battle to scrap a proposed travellers' site in a residential suburb.
More than 200 people attended a public meeting and 900 people signed a petition after it emerged that the Rostholme site in Bentley had been earmarked by planners.
But just days after the meeting, mayor Peter Davies announced that the proposal had been scrapped - and the planners would be going back to the drawing board in their search for suitable sites.
Mr Davies said:"As soon as I saw the proposals I immediately rejected them.
"We have returned to the accepted policy of extending current sites or building new sites adjacent to them.
"Should more sites be needed in the future they will be placed away from residential areas."
Originally, four sites across the borough were earmarked for new travellers' sites, but they were whittled down to one by planners. Anger erupted when the Rostholme site was named at a council meeting.
Local MP Ed Miliband, who had supported the residents, said : "This was clearly not an appropriate site for travellers given the policy of the council is not to have new sites in residential areas, but rather to make provision on existing sites. The people of Bentley have made their views clear and I am pleased that the mayor has seen sense and withdrawn this proposal."
Coun Tony Sockett, who organised the meeting in Bentley Pavilion, added: "I am taking this as a moral victory and I would like to thank the Bentley area for the support they gave to us in what could have become a problem for the future.
The Rostholme site, accessed via Truman Street, is in a built-up residential area off Jossey Lane and is close to Bentley Park.Despite being acknowledged by planners as the most suitable site of the four they orginally looked at, the Rostholme site - currently owned by Cementation Skanska Limited on a 99-year lease - is in a high flood risk zone. The development would still have been subject to the usual planning consents.
The extent of residents'feeings against the proposal was evident at Saturday's meeting.
Mum of three Joanne Beniston, 38, said afterwards: "We were absolutely sick when we found out, it's making us feel ill. I sent an email immediately to Mayor Davies when I got the letter. The fact that the site isn't suitable so it's going to cost thousands of pounds to make it suitable.
"I'll open my bedroom window in a morning and that's what I will see."
Doncaster Council is currently looking at its gypsy and travellers' pitch allocation policy and must provide enough pitches for all those who have registered an interest. If they do not,it could lead to an increase in the number of unathorised sites and enforcement action.
Currently there are six council-run traveller sites in Clay Lane, Sprotbrough, Armthorpe and two in Thorne, most of them situated well away from residential areas.
A 2007 council report noted that a further 94 pitches would be needed by 2011.
by Ruth Offord
editorial@doncastertoday.co.uk
DITCHED: The Rostholme site at Bentley that was put forward as a travellers' site.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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