District council to challenge award of planning permission for gypsy pitches

Forest of Dean District Council has launched legal proceedings after the Planning Inspectorate decided to award planning permission for 13 family gypsy pitches.

In a decision issued on 13 June, the Inspectorate granted permission for the site at land in Newent following a 10-day planning inquiry.

The inquiry had also seen the inspector uphold the council’s enforcement notice from February 2012 prohibiting the pitches.

Confirming the launch of legal action, Cllr Len Lawton, member for Newent Central, said: “Upon reviewing the inspector’s decision and taking specialist legal advice, the council believes that the inspector has seriously erred in law by upholding the enforcement notice, whilst at the same time issuing a permission and failed to undertake the appropriate evaluation in respect of protected species and impact on listed buildings. This can now only be resolved by issuing a high court challenge. 

“This has been a difficult case for all the residents of Newent, so it is therefore vital that we have confidence in the decisions made by the planning inspectorate. I am pleased that the council has decided to take this step in challenging this decision.”