A PROPOSED new ‘traveller site’ on the outskirts of a Pembrokeshire village, which has seen a petition of nearly 300 objections, is expected to be refused by national park planners next week.
The Authority has served an Enforcement Notice on the site, which requires its return to its previous condition.
The scheme for the creation of one traveller site incorporating one static caravan, one touring caravan, day/utility room and ecological enhancements (partly retrospective) on land at Froghall Yard, Moreton Lane, Saundersfoot, is recommended for refusal at the May 21 meeting of Pembrokeshire coast National Park’s development management committee.
It was deferred from the April meeting pending a site visit.
Nearly 300 people have signed a petition against the scheme and the objection to the site is also being shared by the village’s community council.
Around 50 people attended a recent meeting of the community council when members voted unanimously to object to the application.
The application is made by Dai Evans of Pontypool, through agents Hayston Developments & Planning Ltd.
Saundersfoot Community Council has pointed out that the site is agricultural land, with no caravan or other use in over 30 years.
There was also concern that the site – where two previous planning applications had been rejected – is overlooked from Incline Way above and cannot be screened.
Members have said granting permission “would be gross overdevelopment setting a precedent for development literally anywhere throughout the national park”.
The community council’s objection finished: “The applicant lives in Pontypool and claims no connection to the area. There is no rationale as to why the applicant chose a site approximately 100 miles away from their home.”
A supporting statement accompanying the application states: “The applicant belongs to a long-standing Romany Gypsy family and generations have lived a traditional and cultural lifestyle living in caravans all their lives.
“Mr Evans and his partner currently reside on an overcrowded Traveller site in Pontypool where living conditions are poor. They currently only live in rented accommodation and its brick and mortar and not in keeping with their cultural preference, as they prefer to live in a caravan.”
It says Mr Evans and family have stayed in a touring caravan at the site during the summer months since the late 1980s when it was owned by another gypsy family, later purchased by Mr Evans in 2023, clearing and refurbishing the site.
“The application’s aspirations are to continue his Gypsy culture and traditions residing in a caravan on site.”
A park officer report recommending refusal says the applicant has accommodation and is not currently homeless, giving only moderate weight “to the existing level of outstanding unmet need for Gypsy Traveller accommodation in Pembrokeshire,” adding: “That level of need should be weighed against the likely impact of development on the National Park landscape and habitat in this area.”
It says there has been “significant site clearance undertaken prior to the submission of the application, and the impact on the landscape, biodiversity and ecosystem resilience has been assessed as negative,” with officers considering further caravan development “would exceed landscape capacity”.
