TWO appeals against the district council s refusal to allow gipsy caravans and a permanent building on a site in St Albans are to be heard in tandem at a public inquiry next month. Michael Connors has already gone to appeal over a bid to have three gipsy

TWO appeals against the district council's refusal to allow gipsy caravans and a permanent building on a site in St Albans are to be heard in tandem at a public inquiry next month.

Michael Connors has already gone to appeal over a bid to have three gipsy caravans permanently situated on Green Belt land behind Ardens Rise in House Lane.

He has now appealed against an enforcement notice issued by the district council in November regarding an alleged breach of planning control by changing the use of a car port to residential use.

The district council issued the enforcement notice because of the site's Green Belt location, the lack of justification and exceptional circumstances to warrant the change of use and the absence of evidence to demonstrate the need for an additional residential property on the site which is rented out to people of non-gipsy origin.

In his grounds for appeal, Mr Connors argues that the conversion of a building for residential use within the Green Belt is not inappropriate.

He also maintains that it has been used as a separate house five years prior to the issuing of the enforcement notice and that the time given to comply with the notice - one month - is too short for the occupants to find new accommodation.

Both appeals will be dealt with at a public inquiry on Tuesday, February 23, at the council offices in St Peter's Street.