Traveller ignores planning rules again

WITHIN hours of official notification that a traveller and his family had won their appeal to live in caravans on a Green Belt site, they had broken planning conditions.

Peter Robb moved back to Nuckies Farm in Colney Heath on the same day that St Albans District Council was officially notified that a planning inspector had allowed his appeal to live there for a maximum of five years.

But conditions attached to the permission were breached almost immediately - and the district council's enforcement team has already sprung into action.

Mr Robb and his family were required to agree where the caravans should be installed on the site before they moved back in because of a flood risk. They were also limited to three touring caravans but four are now established there together with a mobile home.

St Albans planning portfolio holder and Colney Heath parish councillor Chris Brazier said this week: "They haven't met any of the conditions but just moved back in the same day we get the decision letter."

A letter has been sent by the district council to the Environment Agency, which was to have overseen the implementation of the conditions, advising them of the breach and asking what action they intend to take.

Another has gone to Mr Robb's solicitors calling for a meeting to be held or for the traveller and his family to leave the site.

The decision to allow Mr Robb to move back on to Nuckies Farm is now the subject of an application for a Judicial Review by Colney Heath Parish Council. They are concerned that in light of his history - a long-running battle with the district council has already cost £60,000 and Mr Robb has served a term of imprisonment over the issue - allowing him back on the Green Belt site which is in a high flood-risk area would establish a precedent.