Traveller accommodation sought in countryside

Planning permission is being sought for permanent gypsy and traveller accommodation at Chittlehamholt, near Umberleigh.

Tree surgeon Mr T May, who currently operates Local Roots Tree Nursery on a 3.5-hectare site in the countryside, is looking to establish a permanent home on land owned by his family.

Mr May, a member of the Romany Gypsy community, currently resides in a converted coach on one of the fields at the site. 

With a long history of travelling, North Devon has always been his primary home, and he attended school locally. 

The planning application, submitted by Tree Tops Planning, highlights the limited supply of traveller accommodation in North Devon and the challenges faced by the community in finding authorised sites.

A letter from Sabrina Thomas, Devon County Council’s officer responsible for vulnerable and travelling communities, emphasised Mr May’s deep roots in the district. 

She said: “Mr May is a qualified and experienced  arborist who has been working on trees in the district since 2010, catering for homeowners, businesses, schools and councils.”

She noted that Mr May has three young children who attend a local primary school and that he now wishes to settle his family and business on the land. 

Tree Tops Planning further explained: “He would continue to travel for the purposes of economic gain, but equally wishes to settle in this location for personal circumstances.”

The need for authorised traveller accommodation in North Devon is pressing. 

According to the planning agents, many travellers in the region live on unauthorised sites, often due to the lack of available transit accommodation. 

“Due to a current lack of transit accommodation, travellers have resorted to camping on unauthorised sites.,” they said. “It is recognised that accommodation on unauthorised encampments can lead to conflicts between the traveller and settled communities.”

This issue gained prominence last summer when travellers set up camp in Bideford’s Victoria Park, sparking numerous complaints and leading to legal action by Torridge District Council to evict the group. 

Although accusations of damage to the park were later found to be over-exaggerated, the incident underscored the need for designated sites. 

The gypsy and traveller accommodation assessment has identified a need for 15 permanent pitches in northern Devon, including six in the North Devon Council area.

Supporting Mr May’s application, a neighbour said: “He cares deeply about his trade and the wider environment, as well as his local community and I think it is inspiring to see him and his family trying to find ways to live a more environmentally conscious, low carbon life.”

Representations on this planning application must be made to North Devon Council by Friday, 20 September.