Now city council bosses say
they will look for other sites, following talks with county leaders
- but they say the Ratby Lane site could still be used if a suitable
alternative is not found.
A woman who feared she would lose her home if the site was built
nearby shed tears of joy at the news.
Pauline Hulett, who rents Cottage Farm from the city council,
said: "I've hardly slept since I first heard of the plans,
it's been making me really ill with worry.
"I know this site just isn't suitable. The road can get
really busy and visibility from there is poor.
"I hope they've completely ruled out this site. I might
be able to sleep again now."
City council bosses announced in September they wanted to create
the 10-pitch transit camp, to try to put an end to illegal camps.
Critics said the planned site would destroy open countryside
and place a burden on health resources and schools.
The RSPCA, which has its Woodside animal centre nearby, said
the site was too close to its isolation block, where sick and
injured animals are treated.
Leicestershire County Council argued there were already too
many travellers' sites in the area.
Following talks this week, the two authorities are to work
together to find a suitable site.
If Government lawyers agree, travellers found illegally camping
in Leicester could be moved to a transit site in the county.
At present, the law states they can be moved only within the
city boundaries, but council chiefs hope ministers will make
the allowance.
The Ratby Lane site is next to Kirby Muxloe - the ward of county
leader David Parsons.
Coun Parsons said: "We are taking a common-sense approach
to a difficult problem which has to be tackled.
"Our two councils agree that there can be too great an
emphasis on boundaries and that can be unhelpful in finding
a solution."
Having a travellers' site run by a local authority means police
would be given the power to issue immediate eviction notices
to anyone in unauthorised areas.
Those moved from unauthorised areas to the council-owned site
could remain there for 12 weeks.
The Government is offering £5.5 million towards the cost
of new travellers' sites in the East Midlands. Councils must
submit their bids for the cash by February.
City council leader Roger Blackmore said: "The two councils
are hoping to make use of the grant to reduce the cost of providing
sites to council tax payers."
A spokeswoman for the Gypsy Liaison Group, based in the East
Midlands, said: "I suspect the councils will just keep
passing the buck on this one and we will never end up with a
suitable site."
Ruth Buckingham, chairperson of Kirby Muxloe Parish Council,
said: "It's excellent news. I'm particularly thrilled for
Pauline Hulett.
"A huge number of people have opposed the plans. It just
shows that this is the right idea in the wrong place."
Source - Leicester
Mercury
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