Residents fear gypsy site near Thirsk

Hambleton District Council is being asked to approve a plan to create a private gypsy site for use by one household, Brian and Tom Carter, at Husthwaite.

The pair live in a caravan already on the land at Low Street, near Husthwaite Primary School, at the edge of the village.

They have lived on the site for 12 years and in 2007 were refused a certificate of lawfulness giving them the right to live there by the district council.

The district council has started enforcement proceedings to get the pair, who have since entered this new scheme, off the land.

The new plan has been criticised by Husthwaite Parish Council plus 15 residents on several issues.

Barrie Ward, parish council clerk, said: "They have lived there for about 12-years and they want a certificate of lawfulness from the district council to keep a residential caravan there.

"This was refused and they’ve been served with a notice to take the caravan off the site and a court case is pending.

"The current application is really a means of trying to get round this.

"Quite a sizeable number of villagers have commented on this and others have kept their comments to themselves for fear of reprisals.

"The parish council wants it refused as what does it mean it’s for one household only, it could mean more caravans and we fear the creation of a gypsy site."

He added that the plan may gain parish council approval if conditions were put in to limit the site to holding one caravan.

A district council spokesman said: "There has been no established need demonstrated for the gypsy site in this location.

"Regarding the impact upon neighbours’ amenities it is noted that a high number of objections to this proposal have been received."

The district council’s development management committee discusses the plan on April 30 and is recommended to refuse the scheme.

Despite repeated attempts the applicants’ agent David Stovell and Millwater could not be reached for comment.