Council halts permanent traveller site plans at popular Mansfield Woodhouse allotment

The Priory Road allotment site in Mansfield Woodhouse had been outlined as a potential option for the four permanent sites, alongside another two in Mansfield Woodhouse and one near Sookholme.

But Mansfield District Council has revealed that the Priory Road site is “no longer under consideration” as a potentially suitable site for gypsies and travellers.

Part of the council-owned allotment land, which was unused and previously deemed surplus to requirements by the council, was due to be selected as a suitable location ahead of a vote by councillors later this month.

But the council revealed last week that a decision on the four traveller sites had been delayed, after “changes to one of the sites” had to be re-reviewed by the authority’s overview and scrutiny board.

In a statement, the council said that demand for allotments on the site has increased since the initial consultation started – leading the authority to think again on using the land as a permanent base.

A council spokesman said: “At the time when the allotment site in Mansfield Woodhouse was considered to be potentially suitable, there was little interest in the available allotment plots and it was thought that demand could be accommodated in existing plots.

“Since the consultation was launched, the waiting list for plots on the site has grown to more than 30 and as a result it has been decided that the site is no longer suitable.”

Members of the public were due to meet at the site on Saturday, January 18, where a petition to halt the plans was set to be launched.

A report on the plans will go to full council in January, requesting a further period of public consultation.

This will give members of the public the opportunity to comment on the sites that were originally identified as potentially suitable in July, plus several additional sites that were identified by the public as part of the consultation that closed in September.

Further information about the consultation will be publicised in due course. To receive notification of when the consultation period begins, register here: mansfield.objective.co.uk/portal.