The village of Enborne has lost its fight to stop the expansion of a showman’s caravan park after a Government planning inspector rejected the parish council’s appeal.
Enborne Parish Council then sought permission from the High Court for a statutory planning review, backed financially by more than 150 local residents. "We have been informed today (Tuesday) that our application has been refused by the High Court," it said. The judgment found West Berkshire Council made no discernible error of law in adopting policy RSA29.
Policy RSA29 is part of the West Berkshire Local Plan Review 2023–2041. The site at Long Copse Farm is allocated to provide a residential and operational base for staff and families associated with Zippo’s Circus, with 24 plots for travelling showpeople and the eastern part of the site having a dual use as circus headquarters and an agricultural holding.
The parish council raised funds and says hundreds of local people asked it to challenge the policy, warning the scheme would "substantially change the character of the area and have a harmful impact on neighbours’ amenity, ecology, landscape character, local services and infrastructure."
"There is no proposal to limit or control the number of new residents on the site." "For comparison, if the development was for conventional housing at a normal density of 30 dwellings per hectare, this comparative would increase to 180 new homes," it added.
Zippo’s Circus founder Martin Burton has previously said: "It’s my land to house my showmen."
"I own 50 acres in the Enborne Valley, the increase would take a little over 10 acres so it’s a small proportion."
"I believe that residents are concerned that they will get other travellers other than showmen on my site – I would not offer accommodation to anyone other than circus folk – the planning consent, if it comes will be specific to circus showmen."
Hamstead Marshall Parish Council also objected, saying: "The municipal and rural infrastructure of Enborne cannot support the proposed increase of the 24 additional temporary dwellings, which will have adverse consequences for the parishioners of the Enborne community and its current facilities, which are under pressure."
Enborne Parish Council says West Berkshire Council — which will now decide the application’s fate — appears to be preparing its planning policy without due regard to planning law, citing ‘national’ and ‘strategic’ shortages rather than considering the reality on the ground in West Berkshire. West Berkshire does have a recognised shortage of sites for gypsy/travellers.
Niki Hinman, Local Democracy Reporter
