Inspector supports Council on enforcement action

Harborough District Council issued an enforcement notice at Grove View, Mere Lane, Bitteswell, in May 2019, following concerns that caravan pitches at the ‘transit site’ – which can only be occupied for a defined period – were being rented to occupants who were not members of the Gypsy and Travellers communities. The Council also said that an excessive number of caravans were using the site when the current planning permission states that no more than 4 caravans are permitted.

Despite the landowner lodging an appeal against the Council’s enforcement notice, an independent Planning Inspector ruled in favour of the Council at a hearing held on 30 July 2019.

The landowner must now comply with the enforcement action by 1 August 2020 by which date the pitch has to revert to a transit site to be used only by Gypsies and Travellers.

However the Inspector did rule that up to seven caravans – rather than four – should be permitted to use the transit site, and that a toilet block should be provided by the landowner.