Residents of the Greenacres travellers’ site on Oxen Lane in North Curry, Somerset, may be forced to leave following a failed appeal against the local council’s refusal of planning permission. The site, which has faced numerous legal battles over the past 20 years—including a High Court injunction in 2009—became the center of controversy again after unauthorized work began in October 2024.
In July 2025, Somerset Council obtained a temporary injunction blocking new occupants, and later sought a permanent eviction through the High Court. Peter Richards, named in the injunction, applied for retrospective permission in May 2025 to establish 16 pitches for touring caravans and static homes, including a sewage treatment plant and improved site access. This application was rejected by the council in November 2025, prompting Mr Richards to appeal.
Following a public inquiry in early May, planning inspector Hollie Nicholls visited the site and upheld the council’s decision. She ordered Mr Richards to cover part of the council’s legal costs, citing “unreasonable behaviour,” including excessive and repetitive correspondence and failure to adhere to evidence submission deadlines.
Ms Nicholls questioned the accuracy of the plans, noting the caravans on site did not match the submitted layout. She also dismissed Mr Richards’ argument that phosphate mitigation was unnecessary, highlighting the potential harm to the protected Somerset Levels and Moors Ramsar site. The inspector stated there was no convincing expert evidence proving the nutrient impact or that mitigation was feasible, concluding the proposal would damage the site’s ecological integrity.
Furthermore, the development would negatively affect native welfare species such as crest newts and dormice. Ms Nicholls disagreed that the project was low impact or small in scale, emphasizing the harmful effects on local ecosystems.
Though increased traffic was not deemed a highway safety risk due to good visibility at the site entrance, the lack of pavements on Oxen Lane, which is subject to the national speed limit, posed dangers to pedestrians accessing village amenities. The inspector also criticized the absence of day rooms or amenity facilities on the site, which she said would increase disturbances to nearby residents and degrade living conditions through noise and loss of outlook.
The council’s own gypsy and traveller accommodation assessment highlights a growing need, estimating that 261 additional pitches will be required across Somerset by 2045. Currently, only three of the 16 pitches at Greenacres appear to be occupied, limited by the injunction and inadequate water supply.
Ms Nicholls recognized the benefits of having a permanent base for daily services, education, and healthcare but concluded that the harms of the proposal significantly outweigh these advantages when judged against national planning policies.
Somerset Council has been contacted regarding the status of the new injunction it has sought to enforce on the site.