GIPSIES fighting for planning permission for land near Eckington have vowed to continue their battle despite moving off the site.
The group lost an eleventh hour High Court appeal last Wednesday to extend their stay on the land. They had hoped to remain on the B4080 road site, which they own, until the outcome of a retrospective planning appeal scheduled for September.
Site occupant and mother of five Charlotte Hughes, aged 29, said: "There have been that many bad things on the television about bailiffs evicting people by force - we don't want to put the children through that. But they are really upset because they don't want to leave their schools. We will still try and fight the planning appeal."
The 11 families that arrived on the site last May began leaving last Thursday, with site standing empty by the weekend. Mrs Hughes said they had headed to various parts of the country, including Oxfordshire and Swindon.
Cilla Cameron, chairman of Eckington Parish Council, said: "I'm relived the gipsies have complied with the law - I believe they left the site tidy, not like some horror stories you hear. Now we will just have to wait for the appeal in September."
The gipsies' defiant resolve to continue their planning appeal is a blow for Wychavon District Council. Ian Marshall, head of legal services, had suspected the group would abandon the matter following their latest High Court defeat.
Mr Marshall, speaking at a planning meeting last Thursday, said: "My feeling is the gipsies may well throw in the towel. Certainly there chances of succeeding with that (planning) appeal will be very much diminished if they leave this area.
"One of their strongest arguments was that the children were settled in local schools so that argument will have disappeared completely." He added the restoration of the site would be the subject of future discussions with the group's solicitors.
4 Charlotte Hughes with, from left, Christieanne, Charlotte and Richard who have to leave the site at Eckington.
Picture by STUART PURFIELD dc8345-b
l See letters on Page 6
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article