§ Mr. David NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment in how many appeals on applications on behalf of gipsies for residential development his Department's inspectors have reversed decisions taken by(a) Taunton Deane borough council and (b) the other four district councils in Somerset, since 1 January 1986.
§ Mr. ChopeThe Department's records show that:
- (a) two appeals have been allowed against decisions of the Taunton Deane borough council to refuse applications made by or on behalf of gipsies for planning permission for residential development;
- (b) one further similar appeal has been allowed in the area covered by the other four district councils in Somerset.
§ Mr. David NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to announce his decision on the inquiry which ended in March 1989, into Somerset county council's proposal for a transit gipsy site; and if he will make a statement on the provision and distribution of gipsy caravan sites in each of the five districts of Somerset.
§ Mr. ChopeMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State hopes to issue his decision in this case as soon as possible.
Gipsy site provision is the statutory responsibility of the county council, but authorised sites can also be provided privately by gipsies themselves. Somerset county council has six sites (all residential) as listed in the table:
Pitches Mendip DC—Berk ley, near Frome 8 Sedgemoor DC—Westonzoyland 8 South Somerset DC—Chubbards Cross, Ilton 15 South Somerset DC—Marsh Lane, Tintinhull 11 Taunton Deane BC—Otterford 12 West Somerset DC—Farringdon Hill Lane, Stogursey 10 Total pitches 64 The Department does not collect information on private gipsy sites on the form requested but according to the latest available figures produced by the district councils there are 26 gipsy caravans accommodated on private authorised sites in Taunton and two in Mendip.