ANOTHER attempt is being made to allow travellers to use a disused car park site at Haldon.
A planning application has been submitted for five temporary pitches on the land, a former car park at Haldon Ridge, for three years.
The land is already home to a group of travellers but is currently an unauthorised site.
But it is close to a permitted 18 pitch site managed by Teign Housing.
Planning consultant Dr Simon Ruston has been advising those staying at the site, which includes some children, for several years.
Previous efforts to allow the use of the car park site have been refused, the latest one two years ago.
Now another application is hoping they may finally be allowed to remain.
Dr Ruston, whose company Ruston Planning Ltd specialises in Gypsy and Traveller planning, says, in a statement to Teignbridge Council planners: ‘The latest evidence shows there is a ‘clear’ unmet need for such pitches in Teignbridge and the emerging plan will not meet this need in full.’ His statement has addressed issues which led to the previous refusal in 2022.
Ultimately, his aim is to stop a cycle of evictions on the site.
In the latest application, he provides evidence to demonstrate the proposal is compliant with relevant development plan policies.
He says the land would not constitute the loss of a community facility, ie the car park, as it is not in use currently, there are multiple other car parks nearby.
His statement points out: ‘Anti social behaviour in the car park was causing a significant problem which the proposed use stops from occurring.’
It says there are children living on the site.
While none of the occupants are ethnic Gypsies and Travellers, there are those who have ‘protected characteristics due to disabilities’.
Some have lived on unauthorised encampments for a number of years elsewhere in the county.
Landowners Devon County Council have previously raised concerns about the site which it says it not suitable for residential use as it lacks essential amenities such as mains water, sewage and energy.