Coun John Mugglestone, city council cabinet
member for the environment, said: "We have to do this, otherwise we'll lose
out on this Government money. "This site in Ratby Lane is 500 metres
away from all houses, bar one. It was agreed it was the most suitable site in
Leicester. "The land still represents the most suitable location in
the city and we therefore intend to submit a bid for funding by February 28. "If
we get the funding, we will then put in a new planning application for Ratby Lane." The
Ratby Lane scheme was shelved last year while the county council tried to come
up with alternative proposals. It suggested sites in the far north west
of Leicestershire, and said another could be found in Hinckley and Bosworth borough. However,
Coun Mugglestone said: "The sites selected by the county council are too
far away. The police will only move travellers a reasonable distance. "We
can no longer sit there and wait for the county to come up with a site that's
close to Leicester." Pauline Hulett fears she will lose her home -
on the land next door to the potential site - if the plans go ahead. The
tenant, who rents Cottage Farm from the city council, was angry at the news, but
said: "I'm not surprised about this decision at all." The council
says Ms Hulett will not have to move out, but she says she fears for her safety. Tony
Robotham, clerk of Glenfield Parish Council, said: "Of course we're disappointed.
We would not be surprised if they received a similar number of objections this
time." 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. County council leader David Parsons said: "I
think people will feel somewhat let down by the city council. "They
are not as good as their word, and that's to be regretted." He said
the county council was continuing with its bid for funding for the sites in north
west Leicestershire, and Hinckley and Bosworth, and he believed they could be
used by the city. He said: "I'm still very keen to co-operate with
the city council. "It's a pity it's not a two-way process." The
Government is offering £5.5 million towards the cost of new travellers'
sites in the East Midlands.
Source - Leicester
Mercury
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