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The result of a highly-anticipated planning appeal relating to a traveller site in Rhymney should be revealed by July at the latest.
Planning permission to use the site, at the Former Station House, Rhymney, was turned down by Caerphilly County Borough Council in December 2019.
The land has been used since May 2019. The original planning application, submitted by Ronald Jones, was for five traveller pitches, five mobile homes, and five touring and hardstanding caravans.
Residents and business owners opposed the application on the basis that no licence would have been paid to develop or settle on the land.
Caerphilly County Borough Council cited the fact the introduction of caravans, hard surfacing and high fencing would be out of character with the rural surroundings when it turned down planning permission for the site.
Despite the refusal, development and use of the site has continued.
Mr Jones appealed the decision and a hearing by Planning and Environment Decisions Wales was held on March 7 at Caerphilly County Borough Council’s planning department at Tredomen House.
Caerphilly Observer understands the planning inspector will be visiting the site soon.
Following this, a decision should be made at the latest by the Welsh Government target date of July 20 2023.
The development of the site has upset residents and caused them a ‘headache’, according to Labour councillor Carl Cuss, who represents the Twyn Carno ward.
Cllr Cuss has previously spoken against the development of the land and again raised objections at the appeal.
In his comments made at the appeal, Cllr Cuss said: “I wish to support the reasons for refusal originally decided by the Caerphilly County Borough Council planning committee in 2019.
“It’s been a very long time and even though the site was refused, development on the land never stopped. This has caused a lot of anger in the community. [With people] asking ‘why have they been allowed to get away with this?'”
Cllr Cuss added that given the original purpose of the land was sold as “grazing land” the introduction of things such as concrete, gravel, caravans and a cabin on the outside of the site means that the land has been “over-developed”.
Cllr Cuss added that there are sewerage issues and other available sites – which are arguably more suitable.
A spokesperson for Caerphilly County Borough Council said an enforcement notice had been issued over the unauthorised use of this land as a gypsy traveller site.
Mr Jones is being represented by planning agent Mr Simon Ruston. When contacted by Caerphilly Observer, Mr Ruston declined to comment.
However, as part of Mr Jones’ original planning application, a report published by the Equality and Human Rights Commission was included. This highlights the difficulties faced by the Gypsy and Traveller communities.
The document, published in 2009, cites “insufficient supply of suitable accommodation on the one hand, and the insecurity of unauthorised encampment and developments on the other.”
This comes after Caerphilly County Borough Council decided against designated sites for Gypsies and Travellers in July last year.
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