Issue - items at meetings - Hangleton Bottom

Report of the Executive Director for Environment, Development & Housing (copy attached).

1.            That the Committee grant landowner’s consent for the use of council owned land at Hangleton Bottom as a temporary Traveller Transit site while Horsdean Traveller Transit Site is closed for redevelopment.

2.            That the Committee approve the submission of a planning application for use of Hangleton Bottom as a temporary Traveller Transit site of 15 pitches.

67.1    The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director for Environment, Development & Housing in relation to Hangleton Bottom. The report recommended that alternative temporary transit provision was made during the period that Horsdean Transit site was due to be closed. The report noted that without a transit site the potential for unauthorised encampments in the city would be greater on City Parks and Public Recreation Grounds. The report sort landowners consent for the use of the Council owned land at Hangleton Bottom as a temporary traveller site.

67.2    Councillor G. Theobald noted he did not support the recommendation in the report, and felt the site could be better used for housing, and expressed concern that some of conditions in relation to the planning permission at the Horsdean site had not been discharged. The Executive Director noted that Officers were working to discharge the conditions at the Horsdean site.

67.3    The Chair noted that having an authorised site put the authority in a stronger to manage unauthorised encampments.

67.4    Councillor Hamilton noted that the site had been identified as a waste and minerals site; he went on to add that he could not support the report due to the close proximity of residential properties and the poor access to the site. He stated his concerns that the work at Horsdean could take longer than planned and as such he would not support the recommendations in the report.

67.5    The Chair confirmed the temporary use of the site would be for one year.

67.6    The Chair put the recommendation to the vote.

67.7    The recommendations in the report were not carried.