Traveller family seeks council approval to remain on Sutton site

The family of mum, dad and children moved on to a vacant site off Mapplewells Road, which used to house the Mapplewells Inn pub, during the summer. And the children go to the nearby Mapplewells Primary School.

Now they have submitted a retrospective planning application to Ashfield District Council for a mobile home, touring caravan, a day room, two parking spaces and associated infrastructure.

The applicant, Patrick Connors, admits that the work has already been carried out. But his agent, GT Planning, of Bedfordshire, says in a planning statement: “The application looks to regularise the unauthorised development and seeks the support of the council.”

It remains to be seen how the proposal is viewed by the council’s planning officers, who have given themselves a deadline of January 7 to make a decision or recommendation.

But GT Planning insists that “use of the land as a Gypsy and Traveller site would be in context with the surrounding residential nature of the area”.

It was located by a housing estate and the principle of residential use was accepted in 2022 when planning approval was granted for two new bungalows on the land.

What’s more, GT says the council is legally obliged to allow certain sites to be used by Gypsies and Travellers. And its Local Plan included a policy to sanction them providing they “do not adversely affect the visual amenities of the area”, are “reasonably accessible to community services and facilities” and “minimise the potential for noise and disturbance”.

GT says all the criteria would be met in this case and that the family have every intention to abide by the law.

It concludes: “The benefits of the development are that it makes a significant contribution to the council’s need to accommodate a supply of Gypsy and Traveller pitches.

"The land is close to a built-up area where services and facilities, including public transport, are within easy reach.”

The Mapplewells Inn dated back to 1864 but almost 100 years later, a newspaper report condemned it as “looking like something from the worst days of the Industrial Revolution and totally inadequate for present-day conditions”. It was duly replaced by a new building in 1962.

After the pub closed, the building was used as a fruit and vegetable shop and then by an upholstery company before being knocked down.

Other planning applications received by Ashfield Council include these:

9 Dales Avenue, Sutton – lawful development certificate for proposed single-storey rear extension and porch to front.

Townsend House, 54 Chesterfield Road, Huthwaite – certificate of lawfulness for proposed, detached outbuilding.

Hacienda, Coxmoor Road, Sutton – extension to front, sides and rear, new roof and car port.

19 Penn Street, Sutton – work to sycamore tree covered by preservation order.

170 Lowmoor Road, Kirkby – conversion of dwelling into two two-bedroom flats, with associated parking space and vehicle access.

85A Church Lane, Selston – demolition of existing conservatory at front and construction of single-storey front and side extension, connecting to existing, detached garage.

78 Kingsway, Kirkby – vehicle access.

18 Sunnycroft, Sutton – single-storey rear extension.

Romo, Unit 2, Sidings Road, Kirkby – permeable hard-standing at industrial facility.