A FAMILY of travellers will be allowed to move onto a field in Monmouthshire, after they won an appeal.

The land, south of Upper Maerdy Farm, Llangeview, will now become a permanent home for Star Lea and her extended family, subject to conditions.

She had appealed to The Planning Inspectorate, as Monmouthshire council refused plans for four mobile homes, four touring caravans, four untility dayroom blocks and to retain an existing railway carriage.

The plans were downsized, and this satisfied planning inspector Hywel Wyn Jones.

Two caravans used for residential purposes, a portacabin used as an amenity block and hardstandings will be allowed, following the conclusion of a four day inquiry into the matter.

The report by Mr Wyn Jones said: "The available evidence leads me to find there is a modest need for a Gipsy and traveller site in the area."

Mrs Lea, who bought the land in Llangeview, told the inquiry in September that she had waited three years to turn it into a traveller's site.

She said that although she lives in a house in Pontypool, she longed to return to her Gipsy roots in a caravan being looked after by her family, which is their tradition.

Mr Wyn Jones said he had considered concerns raised from nearby residents about how they were worried it would affect them.

However, it was decided these could be addressed by imposing a number of conditions to control the development.

The only people allowed to occupy the site will be Mrs Lea, family members Reuben Lea, Emily Lea, John Johnson and their resident dependents.

Mrs Lea will also have to put the caravans in approved locations, one of 14 conditions imposed on the development.

George Ashworth, head of planning at Monmouthshire council, said he was disappointed the Inspector didn't accept the council's argument a need for the site had not been evidenced.

He said: "On the plus side however, the Inspector agreed that the proposed site should be significantly reduced in scale to just two mobile caravan plots, and imposed stringent conditions to ensure that no occupation of the site can take place until proper drainage and other services are installed. In overall terms therefore, the appeal decision can be seen as a reasonable compromise."