‘We will do whatever it takes to stay,’ say travelers after camping and refusing to leave picturesque country near the M25

A FAMILY of “Show People” claim they will do “whatever it takes to stay” where they live in the Greenbelt as they say all Traveler sites are “overcrowded”.

John Bailey has submitted an application to change the use of land on the corner of Clement Street and Church Road in Sutton-at-Hone. Knowsin an effort to create a permanent place for his family to camp.

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The green space is located near the M25 and currently accommodates approximately 25 adults and 12 children.

They have owned it for three years and use it for paddocks.

An application has been submitted to Dartford city ​​council in November.

The proposal was to create seven permanent lots for traveling show people, including equipment storage, washing and testing areas, as well as access and landscaping.

We have to do what it takes because we need a place to live. We are a family and we don’t want to break the rules

John Bailey

However, on March 14, the plans were rejected by the planning committee, saying it was an “inappropriate development” of the metropolis green belt.

Mr. Bailey told it KentOnline: “We are not apartment buildings, we just want to park, live quietly and fit in with the people. We have to do what it takes because we need a place to live. We are a family and we don’t want to break the rules.

“We cannot park on the side of the road, we need land for our equipment. We just park our car houses.

“We understand that the land is in the green belt, but there have been instances where it has been destroyed for other communities. Show people don’t have the same rights.”

Show People are not seen as an ethnic group from which they are not descended RomanceRoma or Irish Travelers and are known as Cultural Travelers.

The Traveler Movement (TM), which tackles discrimination and promotes equality, says they are a cultural minority and their identity is tied to their family company.

Show people are those who organize and run fairs, circuses and shows during the summer months and will then establish itself during the winter to prepare for the next season.

The Bailey family have been organizing fairs in Kent for around 100 years.

Show people often need much larger spaces than other travelers because they need a place to store their equipment, such as carnival rides and kiosks.

Mr Bailey says he submitted the planning application because the existing Traveler sites in the county cannot accommodate them.

THE COUNCIL HAS REJECTED THE APPLICATION

Council officials said in their report that the local authority had “an adequate supply of plots” and did not consider there was “an unmet need”. [of sites] for traveling Show People within Dartford”.

The family said in their access statement that they lived on a property in South Ockendon but it was ‘severely overcrowded’ and ‘cramped’ and that they had moved to their land in Sutton-at-Hone in March last year to improve their living conditions. improve. year.

However, Council officials thought twice and issued them with an injunction, saying it was a breach of planning controls, to prevent further development.

An enforcement notice was subsequently issued by the local authority, which came into force in December, requiring the caravans and fairground paraphernalia to be removed within nine months.

APPEAL

Mr Bailey has appealed the decision and an investigation will take place in May.

He said, “We had to do this. It may not have been the right thing to do, but we needed a place to live. We go everywhere, but there are no places for us and the places that are there are all overcrowded. If there were more locations it would be ideal.”

The submitted design and access statement states that the applicant accepted that the change of use would be “an inappropriate form of development in the green belt” but would not result in any “other harm” such as noise, traffic or light.

It also adds that the application may be regarded as containing “very special circumstances”, including the unmet need of the group and a lack of alternative land, and should therefore be considered for approval even though the land in the green belt.

The statement said: “It is very difficult to find venues suitable and available for Gypsies, Travelers and Traveling Show People outside the green belt in Dartford, as evidenced by the fact that all Travelers and Traveling Show People in the borough are in the are green. Belt.

“If the council believes there is a justification for the allocation of green belt sites for travellers, the same should clearly be the case for traveling fairground operators.”

However, council officers believed the application did not meet the requirements of a “very special circumstance” and recommended the application be refused.

Neighbors lodged six objections to the application, raising concerns about noise pollution pollutionmore traffic and use of the green belt.

The application was also supported by 14 letters of support, which said the family “do good work for the community”, were a “positive addition” to the local area and were charities, with members once part of Dartford Lions.

The family is appealing against the municipal council’s decision to refuse the building permit.

The Sun Online has contacted Dartford Council for comment.

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