TRAVELLERS in Peterstone have been refused planning permission for the site they are currently living on.

The Cassidy family had permission to park caravans on the site temporarily from 2008, but the agreement expired in 2011.

The family then remained on site and put in a bid for official recognition last year.

However, the council rejected the request last week saying the site was on green belt land and there was a risk of flooding.

A council report also suggested the road junction has poor visibility and could become dangerous if the site expands. A high fence placed around the site was also viewed as an “incongruous feature”.

Wentlooge Community Council, Marshfield Community Council and PRAID (Peterstone Residents Against Inappropriate Development) all contacted the council to register their protests.

PRAID, which has around 100 members, described the site as a “blight” on the landscape.

Other residents had also complained abut the site.

Newport City Council has a legal obligation to provide gipsy sites and has estimated it will need to deal with a shortfall of 29 over the next 10 years.

The council has allocated a site at Hartridge Farm Road in its Local Development Plan for future use by travellers, bus had not yet received any planning application. Proposed sites at Ringland Allotments and Duffryn sites were removed during the Local Development Plan process.

In a lengthy letter to the council, PRAID said there has been a steadily increasing number of unauthorised developments and claimed there are now nine traveller sites without permission in Peterstone.

The group pointed out that at a public meeting in the village in February of this year residents expressed “vociferous” opposition to the plan.

Richard Wood, principle landscape architect with the council, also objected saying it would affect wildlife and the green belt was “clearly visible from the All Wales Coast Path.”

Gwent Police made no objection to the proposed site.

Angus Murdoch, from Murdoch Planning, who submitted the plan on the Cassidy’s behalf said the family had lived on the site since 2005.

They obtained temporary permission in 2008, and he said the council should give “significant weight” to this.

“They have built up strong local connections in that time,” he added.

“While the site is in a rural location it is near to Peterstone village with all the facilities the village offers including a bus service. There is a nearby public house. The family’s children attend a school in Cardiff.”