Keysoe Travellers’ Site – Current position
Planning enforcement officers visited site on Monday 6th June and met with the
owner. There were three mobile caravans and one static caravan on site at that time
as well as an area of hardstanding and fence marking out two separate pitches.
A planning application was submitted for the site through the online portal on 1st
June at 18.15. That application is currently invalid because the red line boundary
plan has been drawn incorrectly. The application reference is 22/01311/FUL but the
application and accompanying paperwork will not be visible through the Council’s
website until such time as the application is validated.
The Council will be serving a Temporary Stop Notice to prohibit further development
from taking place including further caravans from occupying the site. This will be in
place for 28 days – the maximum period allowed – whilst the Council considers what
further action to take.
There is no statutory right of appeal against a Temporary Stop Notice. The validity of
a Temporary Stop Notice, and the propriety of the Local Planning Authority’s
decision to issue a Temporary Stop Notice, may be challenged by Judicial Review
only.
It is an immediate offence for anyone to contravene, or to cause or permit the
contravention of, the prohibition in a Temporary Stop Notice. Prosecution for an
offence would normally be in the Magistrates’ Court.
The Council must now consider whether there are grounds to issue an Enforcement
Notice to require the use to cease and if necessary to reverse any aspects of the
development considered harmful. Officers are gathering evidence to consider this
matter.
Should any further out-of-hours work be observed, members of the public should
contact the Council’s Highways Helpdesk on 01234 718003 and a crew will be
despatched to collect evidence