THE first planning application has been submitted for a controversial temporary stopping place for travellers at Creekmoor, Poole.

However, instead of going for the whole site at Marshes End, which can accommodate 27 pitches, the application is only for a part of it which will provide 12 pitches for travelling families and vehicles.

Borough of Poole says this is to “achieve delivery of the scheme this summer” at Safety Drive, next to the fire station.

And a second application for a site with four pitches off Broadstone Way, north of the B&Q car park, has yet to be submitted.

Residents are invited to comment on the proposal and the application is likely to be considered by the council’s planning committee on March 20.

There will be a display of the application at Creekmoor Library on February 13 and 14 between 10am and 4.30pm and on the 15th from 10am to 1pm.

“We are aware of concerns raised by local residents and would encourage everyone to come along to the drop-in sessions and see for themselves the proposals, and submit any comments about the planning application to the planning department,” said Peter Haikin, regulatory services manager, Borough of Poole.

The three Creekmoor councillors opposed the plans at cabinet and full council and residents have raised worries with them about being able to have their say.

“Residents will be attending as objectors to address the planning committee,” said Cllr Judy Butt.

“However, they have raised their concern that under the planning committee constitution all objectors only have four minutes to collectively speak, which they feel is not long enough to explain all the issues in such a publicly important application.”

The full application – APP/ 14/00123/F – can be viewed online at boroughofpoole.com.

If approved, the site would operate between Good Friday and September 14 and travellers would not be directed to it after September 1.

A residents’ meeting is due to be held at Creekmoor Community Centre on Saturday, March 1, at 5pm to which MP Robert Syms, Police and Crime Commissioner Martyn Underhill and a representative of Dorset Police have been invited.

  • POLICE and Crime Commissioner Martyn Underhill is backing Poole council’s moves to establish temporary transit sites for travellers this summer.

He has spoken in favour of planning applications for sites at Marshes End, Creekmoor and on land north of the B&Q car park at Broadstone Way.

And he said a similar site set up by Dorset County Council in advance of the Dorset Steam Fair last year proved to be a success.

This year, Dorset County Council will seek planning permission for a five-year, temporary site at Piddlehinton.

Mr Underhill has now pledged to attend planning application hearings in both Poole and Dorset to voice his support for establishing the sites.

He said: “Without an appropriate site to move unauthorised camps on to, the police are acting with one arm tied behind their backs.

“Unless an alternative site exists the police cannot use their powers to move the travellers on.

“The traveller issue has become like Groundhog Day – every year they have nowhere to go so move to unauthorised sites.

“I will support any local authority that is trying to find a way to end last year’s stand-off and, along the way, increase police powers to deal with any unauthorised sites.”

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