ANNEX
NOTE OF COMMITTEE VISITS IN CONNECTION
WITH THE INQUIRY
Visit to Bromsgrove and Lichfield
Monday 6th/Tuesday 7th March 2000
Members Present:
| Mr Andrew F. Bennett, MP
| Mr Huw Yardley (Clerk)
|
| Mr John Cummings, MP |
Miss Jacqueline Recardo (Committee Assistant)
|
| Mr Brian Donohoe, MP |
Dr Vanessa Toulmin (Specialist Adviser)
|
Monday 6 March
Portway
The Sub-committee first visited the former site of
the White Lion public house on Alcester Road, Portway, near Bromsgrove,
accompanied by Mr Graham Downie, Secretary of the Midland Section
of the Showmen's Guild. The site lies within the designated Green
Belt, but is previously developed land, having first been the
site of a public house, then used as a contractors' depot during
the upgrading of the nearby A435. In October 1998, a consortium
of four members of the Showmen's Guild applied to Bromsgrove District
Council for a change of the use of the land to a travelling showperson's
depot. Three of these members had been based for a number of years
in a depot in nearby Redditch, but growing congestion had forced
them to seek new premises.
The initial response to their application by Bromsgrove
planning department was described as "promising", but
the application was eventually refused. Although technically it
was refused because of a failure to determine the application
within the prescribed period, it was apparent that the Council
would have refused the application on the grounds that "the
change of use to a travelling showpeople's depot would, by virtue
of the size, number and siting of vehicles, damage the openness
and visual amenity of the Green Belt in this location and the
purposes of including land within the Green Belt". An appeal
was lodged against the decision, and planning permission granted,
subject to conditions. The Inspector's decision was that whilst
the development "would amount to inappropriate development
in the Green Belt and would cause some harm to the openness and
visual amenities of the Green Belt", there were very special
circumstances in this case - chiefly, the need for the site and
the lack of suitable alternatives elsewhere - which "outweigh[ed]
the harm by reason of inappropriateness and the other harm which
would arise."
The Sub-committee met Mr Jimmy Dobson and his wife,
Mr Tommy Dobson and his wife, and Mr Les Dodwell, the showpeople
who had formed the consortium to buy the land, at the site. They
showed the Sub-committee how the site was to be laid out, including
the landscaping which was required as a condition of granting
permission. The layout was planned with the help of a model plan
for travelling showpeople's sites prepared by the Showmen's Guild.
Bromsgrove
The Sub-committee continued to Bromsgrove, where
they met Councillor Jean Luck, Chairman of the Planning and Highways
Committee, Councillor Dennis Norton, Vice Chairman of the Committee,
and Mr Robert Lewis, Deputy Chief Executive.
The situation at the Portway was described by Mr
Lewis as a 'disaster'. He emphasised that Bromsgrove Council were
not anti-showpeople, and were aware of Circular 22/91 (which gives
advice to local authorities about planning considerations relating
to travelling showpeople). He recognised that cases such as this
should be dealt with through the development plan, rather than,
as had happened, on a case-by-case basis. However, Bromsgrove
had made no provision for sites for showpeople in its Development
Plan. This, he said, was because the district had no tradition
of accommodating showpeople. Historically, nearby Redditch had
been where the area's showpeople had always lived; Mr Lewis suggested
that it was Redditch's failure to provide enough sites for the
showpeople who were based there which was the root of the problems
being experienced in the area. The Showmen's Guild had made no
representations about the lack of sites for travelling showpeople
during the public inquiry on the Development Plan.
Ninety-two per cent. of the land in Bromsgrove District
was classified 'Green Belt', meaning 'very special circumstances'
had to be demonstrated in order for a planning application for
development within this area to be successful. It was very difficult
to justify exceptions to the policy of no development in the 'Green
Belt', particularly in view of the fact that, once an exception
was granted, it was very difficult to convince local people that
the same exceptions should not also be applied to them. Nothing
in Circular 22/91 exempted showpeople from any of the policies
relating to the 'Green Belt. He noted that it was accepted by
all parties that a showperson's depot was not an appropriate development
for 'Green Belt' land, and that it was the test of 'very special
circumstances' which had had to be used to justify granting permission
on appeal.
In addition to accepting the showpeople's appeal
and granting planning permission, the Inspector awarded costs
against Bromsgrove Council. An initial recommendation that the
application be accepted had later been changed, due, Mr Lewis
said, to subsequent information being supplied by the showpeople
indicating that the number of caravans to be accommodated on the
site was much greater than originally supposed. The Inspector's
report on costs suggested that these problems could have been
overcome had the Council discussed them with the showmen at the
time, and that as a result unnecessary expense had been incurred
in taking the case to appeal. Mr Lewis strongly denied the suggestion
that the decision to reject the application had been a political
one or was in any way connected to the fact that the Chair of
the Planning Committee was the ward councillor for the area.
Councillor Jean Luck, Chair of the Planning Committee
and ward councillor for Portway, emphasised the reasons for the
opposition of local people to the proposed development. She suggested
that there was concern that the showpeople did not intend to integrate
into the local community. Local people felt 'short-changed' by
the granting of permission for the depot after an application
to rebuild a pub on the site, offering employment and leisure
opportunities to local residents, had been turned down. She suggested
that it might have been possible to find alternative sites in
the area, had the necessary work been done at an early stage.
Nevertheless, she also emphasised that, now permission had been
granted, every effort would be made to ensure that the development
of the site and the arrival of the showpeople were successful.
The Sub-committee also visited the Recreation Ground,
an area of 'open space' in the centre of Bromsgrove. The site
is subject to a covenant restricting the use of the land to an
open space or public recreation ground. Three fairs take place
annually on this land. A decision by the Council in 1996 to develop
the land was the subject of considerable opposition, and delays
due to this opposition meant that no progress had been made by
the time of the local elections in May 1999. The fate of the Recreation
Ground became a central issue in these elections and the previous
ruling group lost its majority. The new Council abandoned the
development scheme and intends to take steps to ensure the long-term
future of the Recreation Ground as a public open space.
Questioned about the continued role of fairs, particularly
given the development of theme parks such as the nearby Drayton
Manor or Alton Towers, the Council representatives asserted that
travelling fairs were as keenly awaited now as they ever had been.
Fairs played an important
role in building on the perception of Bromsgrove
as a market town and their continuation was key in maintaining
that image and in attracting people to town centre shops as opposed
to the many out-of-town shopping centres in the area.
Following their visit to Bromsgrove, the Sub-committee
travelled to Walsall, where they visited a site where development
of a travelling showperson's depot had recently been started.
Members met some of the occupants of the site and visited the
living vans stationed there. The Sub-committee was told that,
whilst there had been some local opposition to the development,
the relatively secluded position of the site at the edge of an
industrial estate meant that achieving planning permission had
been fairly straightforward. The site had not, however, been identified
as suitable for a travelling showpeople's depot in the local development
plan, and permission had had to be sought 'from scratch'. Although
the development of this site had eased some of the pressure on
others in the area, the Sub-committee was told that there was
a continuing need for more permanent sites for travelling showpeople's
depots in the Midlands.
Tuesday 7th March
Lichfield
The Sub-committee continued to Lichfield, where members
visited a small, traditional Charter Fair in the town centre.
Following an oral evidence session at Lichfield District Council,[70]
the Sub-committee participated in the historic ceremony of the
'opening' of the Lichfield Shrovetide Fair, and watched the more
recent 'Pancake Races' which now take place at the same time.
Visit to Kirkcaldy
Wednesday 19th April
Members Present:
| Mr Andrew F. Bennett, MP
| Mr Huw Yardley (Clerk)
|
| Mr John Cummings, MP |
Miss Jacqueline Recardo (Committee Assistant)
|
| Mr Brian Donohoe, MP |
Dr Vanessa Toulmin (Specialist Adviser)
|
The Sub-committee also undertook a brief visit to
Kirkcaldy, Fife, to attend the Links Market Fair and to discuss
issues relating to it with local Council officers and others involved
in the organisation of the Fair.
A meeting with local council officials and others
took place in the Town House, Kirkcaldy. Present were individuals
and representatives from number of different organisations involved
in the planning and running of the Links Market Fair.
The Links Market Fair, which begins on the Wednesday
of the third week in April, was described as of great benefit
not only to Kirkcaldy but to the whole of Fife, having a place
as part of local tradition and culture alongside the Lamas Fair
and the Burnt Island Games. The Fair was as eagerly awaited as
it had ever been by people all over Fife. It now attracted up
to 40,000 people a day. However, the Fair was becoming more and
more difficult to arrange, partly, the Sub-committee was told,
as a result of a recent re-organisation of Scottish local government
finance.
The Ward Councillor for the area where the Fair takes
place, John Farmer, told the Sub-committee about the efforts he
had made following his election as Councillor for the area to
ensure that local people were fully involved in the organisation
and running of the Fair. A tenants' and residents' group was set
up, and representatives from the police, the Council and the Showmen's
Guild invited to join. Mr Farmer remarked particularly on the
keenness of the local Showmen's Guild to come along, which he
believed had been very helpful. Through this group, a mechanism
was set up whereby local people were able to have any complaints
they might wish to make about the Fair dealt with very quickly.
A number of perceived problems with the Fair were solved through
this group (most notably that of parking), and as a result the
number of phone calls to the Council about the Fair had significantly
decreased. Everyone felt involved in and a part of the Fair.
John McVicar, an officer in the Council's Community
Services department, told the Sub-committee about the co-operation
which took place around the organisation of the Fair, both within
the Council between different departments; and with other organisations,
such as the emergency services, the Health and Safety Executive,
local residents and, of course, the Showmen's Guild itself. A
complaints hotline had been set up and an 'operational centre'
established for the duration of the Fair, from where the policing
was run. He told the Sub-committee that a ban on drinking alcohol
in the streets had recently been instigated across Scotland. This
relatively simple step had resulted in a dramatic drop in the
incidence of problems during the Fair. He noted the importance
of ensuring that the public got quality and value for money from
the Fair, as well as variety.
In answer to a question about other fairs which took
place in the area, the Sub-committee was told that these were
generally smaller fairs which took place on historical sites,
and as such did not involve the same degree of planning. However,
there was a Council group looking at the planning of smaller fairs
which was due to report shortly.
The Sub-committee was also told that some thought
was being given to how to market the Fair as part of the cultural
services strategy to attract tourism. The potential was there,
the Sub-committee was told, but financial restraints were causing
difficulties. The Council were also in discussion with the town
centre management company about how visitors to the Fair could
be attracted into the town centre.
The Sub-committee were then met by Mr Peter McShane,
Mr Philip Paris, Mr Ernest Johnson and others from the local Showmen's
Guild, and taken to see the Fair and the living vans where showpeople
running the Fair stayed whilst the Fair was taking place. Showpeople
in Kirkcaldy were experiencing considerable problems with inadequate
facilities for their living vans. The problem was partly due to
a reorganisation of the fairground site which had resulted in
sites which had previously been used for living vans being cleared
to create access routes for fire engines. This reorganisation
had resulted in a diminution of the costs to the showpeople of
keeping fire engines on standby, but had also meant that some
of the most appropriate and convenient sites for living vans were
no longer available, pushing showpeople out away from the fairground
itself to sites which had no water or electricity laid on and
where there were no facilities for waste water. Some sites did
not even have hardstanding for living vans, being little more
than a muddy field. Unfortunately, it was very difficult to ensure
the necessary investment was made to provide facilities at sites
which were only used for perhaps 11 days a year.
The success of the fair itself, however, was obvious.
The Sub-committee toured much of the fairground site, which even
on a weekday evening was very busy. They also visited the operational
centre where the police presence was based and spoke to some of
the officers responsible for patrolling the Fair. There was no
evidence of any trouble arising from the presence of the Fair
and the atmosphere was excellent: thousands of people, young and
old, family groups, and throngs of teenagers all out enjoying
themselves, in a totally friendly, happy environment. It was emphasised
by the Councillors, the local Police, and individuals to whom
we spoke just how popular the Fair was. A local taxi driver enthused
at the prospect of taking his children to the fair on the Friday.
The rides themselves were very enjoyable and good value for money
(although there was a difference in value for money between two
of the dodgem rides: the first ride was three-quarters the cost
of the second and lasted twice as long) and standards of hygiene
at the food stalls seemed excellent.
70 See QQ1-199 Back
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