THE owner of a field near Usk says she has waited three years to turn the land into a travellers’ site.

Star Lea wants land near Upper Maerdy Farm, Llangeview, to become a permanent base for her and her extended family, and on Wednesday, interested parties mulled over the council’s refusal of plans on day two of an inquiry.

Mrs Lea hopes to get the refusal overturned and move six of her family members into two caravans.

She also wants to retain and relocate a cess pit, a portable building used as an amenity block and hardstandings.

Dr Angus Murdoch, representing Mrs Lea, said locating gipsies in Monmouthshire had encountered “absolutely enormous opposition” fromlocals .

“The misery go-round of inequality is likely to continue in absence of a suitable site being found for them,” he said.

The inquiry heard 71-yearold Mrs Lea, a Romany gipsy, bought the Llangeviewland in 2008. Now based in Upper Race, Pontypool, she said she wants to spend the rest of her days at the site.

But Robert Duff, representing residents, said he was concerned how it would affect them: “We are here to protect the public interest. We are here to understand the impacts on residents and visual amenity as residents walk past the site, theywalk past the lane. Anyone who suggests it might not affect their residential amenity, that is a ridiculous position to take.”

Morag Ellis, representing Monmouthshire council, said the council had concerns about disturbance to a large water main under the site.

A verdict on the appeal is expected after Welsh Water investigations. Planning inspector Hywel Wyn Jones said this was likely to take several weeks.