Appeal over Bricket Wood caravan site

GIPSY Ned Connors is fighting back again after his plans to extend an unauthorised travellers site at the back of a house in Bricket Wood were turned down. Mr Connors, who has around six caravans there already, had applied for retrospective permission to

GIPSY Ned Connors is fighting back again after his plans to extend an unauthorised travellers' site at the back of a house in Bricket Wood were turned down.

Mr Connors, who has around six caravans there already, had applied for retrospective permission to keep two static caravans and a mobile kitchen unit at the back of Woodview Lodge in Lye Lane.

But St Albans District Council's plans (south) committee refused the application on the grounds that it was Green Belt land.

It is believed Mr Connors runs a block paving business from the site and wanted the extra units to house and feed his workers.

He currently has retrospective planning permission for three of the mobile homes behind his house.

Enforcement action was due to be taken against Mr Connors but he has effectively pre-empted this by appealing against the decision which will shortly go to a hearing presided over by a building inspector.

He is appealing on the grounds that everyone living there is part of an extended Irish family and the additional caravans are located within an existing stableyard which is fenced and hard-surfaced. It is also claimed that there is a need for more gipsy sites in St Albans.