Parish and county councils oppose proposal.

Councillors have refused an application for a Traveller site on agricultural land in north Derbyshire.

Bolsover District Council has turned down a request for the change of use land to the west of Featherbed Lane, Shuttlewood to enable four mobile home pitches and the installation of a septic tank. The application was submitted by an agent for Mr and Mrs Lees who live on Featherbed Lane.

A design and access statement read: “The appellants are Travellers with strong local family connections to the area who travel extensively undertaking tree maintenance and ground work activities. Some of the applicants’ close relatives occupy a site a short distance to the south of the application site.”

Old Bolsover Town Council objected to the application on the following grounds:

*The proposed change of use would result in the loss of agricultural land;

*Concerns were raised about the increased vehicle movements and potential conflicts with pedestrians and other users of the Public Right of Way, which must remain safe and accessible;

*Concerns were raised about the site’s isolated location, lack of street lighting and limited safe pedestrian access to the wider community and essential services, including the council’s duty of care to residents;

*The identified requirement for Traveller accommodation has already been met and the council believes there is no justification for additional pitches, particularly given the concerns regarding the site’s suitability, accessibility and highway safety.”

Consulted on the proposal, Derbyshire County Council’s highway development control department stated: “ We are in full agreement with their recommendation to refuse the application, and would add that our reasons would be as follows:

“The public footpath surface along Featherbed Lane would be further negatively impacted by the addition of even more pitches, and the associated increase in vehicle movements.

“The public footpath user experience would be negatively impacted, as the additional vehicle movements would cause even greater inconvenience to the public.”