COMMUNITIES Secretary Eric Pickles MP has refused permission for Irish Travellers to stay at a camp they set up on a green belt site more than three years ago.

The unauthorised encampment was created at The Street, Hoole Bank, Mickle Trafford, close to a lagoon containing 60,000 tonnes of acid tar.

Cheshire West and Chester Council served a stop notice and a retrospective application for a change of use to a site for five Gypsy families, each with two caravans, along with an amenity building, which was rejected.

An appeal was dismissed together with one involving enforcement action, although 12 months were allowed for the use of the land to cease.

More recently, applicant Andrew Loverage submitted a further application which was also refused leading to the appeal.

As the site was within the green belt, the appeal was ‘recovered’ by Mr Pickles who has now accepted a recommendation by inspector Elizabeth Fieldhouse that it should be dismissed.

Representing the Travellers, Philip Brown Associates argued there were very special circumstances to justify a temporary permission.

The amenities of nearby residential properties were unaffected and the site was where Gypsies and Travellers sought to live. There would be no harm to the appearance of the area.

The agents also pointed out there was a substantial unmet need for pitches in the borough.

Mickle Trafford Parish Council raised a number of concerns including the green belt and the risks from the tar lagoon. It pointed out the borough council was taking steps to resolve the unmet need.

For Mr Pickles, decision officer Pamela Roberts said the secretary of state agreed with the inspector there had been a ‘serious loss’ of openness and the development caused significant harm to the character and appearance of the area.

He believed the possible health and safety risks from the tar lagoon carried significant weight.

Steps were being taken by the borough council to release sites.

Human rights had been considered but Mr Pickles was satisfied the countryside could only be safeguarded by dismissing the appeal.