I went on holiday for a week and came back to one on my friends in the street asking me to sign a petition against a ‘new gypsie site’.
Slightly bewildered and tired from driving, I set out to find more about this.
Last week, about 250 Wombourne residents packed into a public meeting in protest at the gipsy pitch plans. The plans have been revived after being thrown out by planning bosses in November last year.
Apparently, campaigners need to raise £6,000 of their own money to pay for a legal team and fight the planned development (two caravans, a communal centre and parking areas) on greenbelt land in Pool House Road, Wombourne. For as long as I can remember there has always been a battle over that area near the Pool House estate.
Lyndon Jones, chairman of the Wombourne Residents Action Group said: “We cannot give up now. We must carry on. What we are doing is right and we must continue to try to make sure our views are heard and our opinions are taken note of.”
The newly-elected South Staffordshire MP Gavin Williamson also gave his backing to the campaigners. He said: “If this site is waved through it is simply not fair on you. The law is there to protect greenbelt land but this development would ride rough shod over that protection. You have my complete and total support to fight this all the way.”
What are your thoughts?
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how do we make a donation tgo stop this going ahead?? Support is needed if we arde to beat this
Wombourne Resident’s Action group is collecting the money, or so they said in the meeting. If you can find their address/email/contact details they’ll tell you how you can help.
Let’s say no to gypsy sites.
Are these the last group of people we are allowed to discriminate against legally? If it was people from an ethnic minority it would be classed as racist, whats the difference?
I think the people of Codsall should rally round and support our neighbours in Wombourne as there is very little green belt land left in the area.
If we are unable to build on it why should other people be allowed to ?
I have no problem with gypsy sites but they should be contained on inner city or BROWN FIELD sites NOT ON VIRGIN LAND!!!!
We are fast getting to the position where minority groups rule the roost in this country and have more rights than the local people. It really is about time that we stopped being so passive – just accepting all the rubbish and controls that are layed upon us and started to stand up and speak out for our rights.
Start NOW by saying NO TO GYPSY SITES on green belt land.
I am dumbfounded by the comments made by Susie Q. This seems like a racist comment to me. Wombourne belongs to the people who live their regardless of them bieng minorities. Building on greenbelt should not be allowed however on appeal most travellers win.
Agreeded – lets not get political though, the village should embrace all cultures, but planning rules ang must be obeyed ‘by all’ including Gypsie people. Being a realistic i would save your money – save it – the government is putting VAT etc up you will need every shilling you have, you thing sainsburys is dear now..you wait.
– Harrold ….Lord of the Monor
whats the beef , that suzie aint from our village any how so whats her on about, these people jus wanna cause loads of trouble for no reason, i don’t care who lives here – maybe it will make buying a house cheaper if they R allowed to stay
I say YES. YES.YES.YES
its a democracy and i want to have my view put forward. I am a trader and for obvious reasons do not want the business name to be know, enough with the rules already.
What planet are you on. Did not know life on Mars is now a reality. Just because through expensive lawyers and slack judges they have won does not make it right , in principle.
One has to look at the beauty of our village and cannot let green-belt be spoilt like this, in any case it would be blight on lovely surroundings
The local authority is obligied to some extent under the Housing act 2002 to accomadate them see webpage link below.
http://www.sstaffs.gov.uk/your_services/strategic_services/housing-1/housing_strategy/gypsy_and_travellers_accommod.aspx
George, Susie Q wasn’t being racist, she was just saying what the majority of people in Wombourne think!
I am very disappointed that people here should think that I am a racist, far from it I have many friends of various races.
Its a easy to apply this brand of RACIST to someone when their views aren’t the same as yours. Which only goes to prove my point, do we still have freedom of speech in this country if we are not a minority???
It would be interesting to know whether George, Lord of the Manor, JRK, and Harper actually live in Wombourne?
Perhaps the descentors should take a look at Wolverhampton Chronicle 5th August page 3 and see the mayhem that a group of 40 gypsies cause in Lichfield Rd Wednesfield setting fire to the trees in the park and destroying the facilities of the local residents.
I FIRMLY BELIEVE that gypsies SHOULD be given sites to use so that they like the rest of us can pay their taxes and contribute to the local community wherever that my be. However I believe that the planning laws that we have to abide by should ASLO APPLY apply to them!!!
Green belt land is a fast diminishing commidity and SHOULD NOT be use for this purpose, sites should be provided on BROWNFIELD areas perhaps close to motorways to ‘accommodate their travelling ancestory/lifestyle’.
Having read your comments I still feel that as locals we should be support the wombourne residents who appear to be getting short end of the stick and it is about time we spoke up for them!!!
You all seem happy for the to be anywhere but in wombourne typical attitude of small minded individuals who think they live in this village utopia.
You should have heard you all moaning about having a supermarket but you are happy to use them when they are not built on your door step.
I suggest you all wake up and smell the coffee
Yes i do i live in the bull meadow area
Hi Suzie Q yes…..Orton Lane love
What do you mean by ”if we are the minority” who is we.
Money is Money & I will take anyones Money…..hence I live ina big house on the border of Womb and Lwr Penn.
..not to say I agree in principle.
I have never heard so much rubbish in my life,
It sounds to me that if there was a death train this family of 4 NOT A FAMILY OF 40, would be sent on it by the wombourne community,
There is good and bad in every race ,
Has anyone from this area meet this family ,
who DO PAY TAX, and they PAYED FOR THE LAND ,ITS NOT COUNCIL PROPERTY,
if you all so worried about this, get another collection together and BUY the Land back
Having read the comments expressed by both sides of the argument as to the proposed gypsy site in wombourne I feel that my experiences with gypsies might shed some light on your plight. Several years ago a gypsy family acquired land close to where I live, at first only two families resided there and everything was ‘hunky dory’. After a while others joined them and things ‘changed’, items started to disappear. Even things like paving slabs were not safe, the younger males taking them away on old pram wheels. on one occasion one of the families was charged with GBH for assaulting a ‘local’.
What started as a clean site turning into a tip!
I think Lucy, Amanda, Harper, Lord of the Manor and Susie Q are trying to present a view that carries a warning to the residents., Whereas the others express what some might consider to be views too liberal.
I speak from experience so please don’t tell me I don’t know what I’m talking about.
One final point, how do local authorities collect Council Tax from families/individuals that are in some cases moving every few weeks?
Hey Sharon, that logic is flawed!!!
We need a more diverse community or else the village will be dead, just old folk and the only youngster will be the ones who can afford a house in the village, and that will be very few – except those living in municiple housing who will never contribute to society in any case!
well what happened then…?
Did they get their way – any one know