North Somerset Council has denied two separate but similar applications to establish new Traveller pitches in the village of Hewish. Despite a recognized shortage of Gypsy and Traveller pitches in the region, the planning committee voted against both proposals on August 20.
Local councillor Dan Thomas (Congresbury and Puxton, Green) expressed his support for the Traveller community but raised concerns about the suitability of the proposed sites. “I am proud to represent Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller members, but placing pitches in an area that lacks amenities apart from a primary school and Puxton Park isn’t fair,” he stated. Thomas highlighted the vulnerability of the proposed fields to flooding and voiced worries that the approval standards for Traveller sites might be lower than those applied to traditional housing.
Adding to the opposition, Lynda Redding, Chair of Puxton Parish Council, urged the committee to reject the plans, emphasizing that Hewish already coexists peacefully with 67 managed Traveller pitches. “This proposal would not benefit the local community and would, in fact, be detrimental,” she said.
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The rejected plans included one for nine pitches adjacent to the recently closed Full Quart site, and another for ten pitches near existing Traveller sites at Heathfield Park and Mooreland Park. Thomas noted that most objections came from residents of current Traveller sites, as the new pitches would be privately sold to families rather than managed community sites.
Objections also cited concerns that the growing number of Traveller pitches could lead to an “unacceptably high” proportion of Traveller households relative to settled ones in Hewish. However, John Rooney, representing one of the applications, argued that Gypsy and Traveller communities can live harmoniously alongside settled residents.
During the meeting, planning committee member Peter Bryant remarked, “Gypsy and Travellers lead different lifestyles from the rest of us,” and warned that expanding pitch numbers could harm the quality of life for Hewish and Puxton residents.
Conversely, Councillor Hannah Young (Clevedon South, Labour) emphasized the council’s legal obligations: “It’s vital we meet our duty to provide adequate sites for Traveller communities.”
Both applications were ultimately refused with identical votes of 8-5.