Appeal lodged over refusal of plans for traveller site in Bury St Edmunds

An appeal has been lodged against a council’s refusal of planning permission for a traveller site on woodland on the south east strategic development site in Bury.

The Delaney family is appealing against St Edmundsbury Borough Council’s refusal of planning permission for five pitches at woodland on Rougham Hill in February.

It follows the authority’s approval of a masterplan for the site for the south east strategic development site for 1,250 homes.

This masterplan now contains provision for travellers although this element was originally removed.

Michael Hargreaves, agent for the Delaney family, has written to St Edmundsbury asking if it still wants to pursue the appeal.

He argued that the council’s original grounds for refusal - that planning permission was premature before the masterplan was approved and that there would be a loss of trees no longer applied.

He said the grounds for refusal had been superseded by the approval of the masterplan.

Mr Hargreaves said: “Our position is that we have written to the council and we feel optimistic that it will agree there are now no sensible reasons for refusal.

“This has been something of a dance we have been through. I hope I can be reasonably confident it’s all going to be sorted out.”

A council spokesman said: “We’ve received a letter from the appellant’s agent asking if the council can defend the reasons for refusal. These reasons, and how they have been affected in the time that has since elapsed, will be the subject of an update report to a forthcoming St Edmundsbury’s development control committee.”