Tarmac on gypsy site 'must go'

Councillors rejected permission for the hard-standing area to remain permanently at Beeches Brook, Telham Lane, last Thursday, at a meeting of Rother District Council's planning committee.

The move is the latest in a string of applications made by Linda Smith, a gypsy who settled on the land in September 2007.

At an appeal in February, Ms Smith won the right to stay on the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty for another two-and-a-half years.

Speaking last Thursday (July 15), Cllr David Vereker said: "This has all the appearance of the thin end of the wedge.

If we allow this then in two and a half years time they may say, we want a house instead of a caravan and on it goes. If we think it's wrong we should say so now."

Cllr Kathryn Field, ward member for the application, said: "Incrementally we have seen a huge development of this field.

"Where each application in isolation might have been considered acceptable at the time, the result is what might have been a field in the countryside is now a considerably developed piece of land, and I do share Cllr Vereker's concerns that it may continue in that way."

Most councillors spoke against officers recommendation to grant retrospective permission to the tarmac, with some raising concerns on seeing pictures of the development.

Cllr Nick Ramus said: "Seeing that surface I wouldn't classify it as temporary.

"All the time the order remains temporary there's no problem. But the condition of that road is far better than most country lanes. It's not temporary."