Traveller site given three years after appeal

An appeal has been upheld against the refusal of a planning application for a traveller site in a town in Leicestershire.

A static caravan, gates and fencing were installed on land near Bouskell Park in Blaby without planning permission over the August bank holiday in 2025.

Blaby District Council then refused a retrospective application for the development in December.

But the Planning Inspectorate has now overturned the decision following an appeal by applicant Martin McDonagh.

The decision by inspector M Madge allows a static caravan, touring caravan, hardstanding, fencing and gates to remain on the land east of Sycamore Street until 1 June 2029.

Madge said the refusal "would take away a settled base for this household, who may potentially need to resort to living on the roadside and face disruption to the children's educational provision as a result".

The council previously said it received 441 objections to the retrospective application and turned it down because it said the removal of the hedge "significantly harmed" the character of the area.

It also said the plot was close to the Grade II-listed Blaby Hall estate and Victorian ice house, and the caravan site would form "a discordant feature" in the area.

In documents sent to the council, McDonagh said the scheme would meet a "pressing accommodation need" in the district.

However, the council said a number of previous applications for the site had been considered and were either refused or withdrawn.

It said a similar scheme for two caravan pitches plus a dayroom was rejected by its planning committee in May 2020 and a planning inspector then dismissed an appeal against the refusal in November 2022.

District councillor for planning Mike Shirley, Blaby District Council portfolio holder for planning and strategic growth, said the council was "disappointed" at the decision and said: "We have concerns about the impact any development in this location has on the Blaby conservation area."

Blaby county councillor John Bloxham said: "To say this is frustrating doesn't even come close."

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