Concern remains over caravan park plan

12:27pm Thursday 4th September 2008

RESIDENTS’ fears that a proposed caravan park in Orford could be home to a travelling community have been allayed by the applicant’s agent.

Philip Brown, who is acting for William Smith, has assured council planning officers that “the proposed caravan site if not intended for use by gipsies and travellers”.

Mr Smith, who owns a travellers’ caravan site on Warrington Road in Higher Walton, has applied for planning permission to build a 10-pitch caravan site on Sandy Lane West.

The plans attracted complaints from nearby residents who were worried it would become a travellers’ campsite.

But Mr Smith maintains it will be a site for the elderly.

In the application his agent Philip Brown states: “Some people, particularly the elderly, prefer to live in mobile homes, which are relatively cheap to build and inexpensive to run.”

It also states that the site would “make very effective use of an urban brownfield site for the provision of low cost affordable housing”.

The new caravan site would be in the gardens on Brook House. The outbuildings there would be demolished to make way for the 10 plots, each with two car parking spaces and a garden.

The caravans will range from 3m to 3.6m wide and 9m to 12m long.

“The proposed mobile homes would not have a detrimental impact upon the wider residential area,” the planning application states.

But not all residents feel the same way.

“You have not heard the last of this, we will fight all the way,” said one letter of objection.

“The impact this would have to the area would be devastating,” said another.

A decision is due to be made on September 30.

Letters in support or objection can be submitted online at warrington.gov.uk or in writing to New Town House, Buttermarket Street, with the application reference number 2008/13367.