ROMANY Gypsy’s pitched up at Newport City Council’s car park this morning to protest against authority demands to remove caravans from their home of 14 years.
Colleen Rogers, who owns Northern Hay Stables in Brickyard Lane, put in planning permission for the site 11 years ago.
But the council are now saying they have 10 caravans more than they should.
Around 17 families live at Brickyard Lane, just off J27 of the M4.
The original agreement with the council allowed eight caravans on site, but the group claim the council have told them a different number each time checks are carried out.
Now, they are being being taken to court by the council, who have asked them to remedy the number of caravans on the site by January this year.
(Coleen Rogers (L) talks to police and council officials during the peaceful protest at Newport Civic Centre by Gypsies from Brickyard Lane. www.christinsleyphotography.co.uk)
(Colleen Rogers at her Brickyard Lane home in Newport. www.christinsleyphotography.co.uk)
“We can’t live in eight caravans," said Mrs Rogers.
"We’ve had 16-20 caravans for years.
“We’ve recently taken 10 caravans off. We can't physically fit more than 20 on the site.”
(The peaceful protest at Newport Civic Centre by Gypsies from Brickyard Lane www.christinsleyphotography.co.uk)
(Samson Price one of the gypsy children who live in Brickyard Lane, Newport. www.christinsleyphotography.co.uk)
“One man who lives here is disabled and wouldn’t be able to move elsewhere.
“We’ve never asked the council for any funding towards the site, they haven’t put a penny into it.”
“It didn’t have to go this far but imagine someone telling you to leave your home that you’ve paid for, to rent off someone else instead.
“You wouldn’t be too happy would you. We’ve got nowhere else to go.”
(Council officials talk to gypsies during the peaceful protest at Newport Civic Centre. www.christinsleyphotography.co.uk)
For now, the group have now been told to return to the site in Brickyard Lane.
(The Brickyard Lane gypsy camp. www.christinsleyphotography.co.uk)
A spokesperson for Newport City Council said: “Newport City Council has been told this was a peaceful protest in relation to a long-running planning issue relating to Northern Hay Stables in Brickyard Lane.
“An independent planning inspector allowed 10 touring caravans and one static caravan to be retained on the private site and concluded that anymore would pose an unacceptable risk to highway safety because of increased vehicle movements.
“In August 2017, the council issued an enforcement notice requiring the removal of excess touring caravans and there was a 12-month compliance period.
“Following an appeal, an inspector upheld the enforcement notice on 5 January 2018 and the 12-month compliance period ended on 5 January 2019.
“However, several more caravans than allowed remained on the site and in February the owner and the planning agent were informed that there was a breach of the enforcement notice.
“No caravans were removed, and prosecution proceedings were instigated.
“The first hearing is due to be held in Cwmbran magistrates court on Monday (12 August).”
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