On Wednesday 2 September, at an Extraordinary Council Meeting, the District Council voted through Knabhall Lane, Tansley as a potentially suitable location for both a permanent and temporary traveller site.
Derbyshire Dales have a statutory obligation to provide a suitable permanent site for Travellers as outlined in the Local Plan.
Sarah Dines MP said, ‘I like many of my constituents watched the council meeting live last night via the YouTube channel. I appreciate that this is a highly emotive topic and many constituents have very strong opinions on where the Traveller site should be placed. It is the Council’s statutory duty to find a permanent site for the Travellers and it is clear this issue has gone on much too long. This long-awaited move forward is welcome in that it should relieve the pressures on both residents and travellers after what is now a long history of illegal encampments at previous great cost to the tax -payer. Since my election in December 2019 I have visited various illegal sites, such as Bakewell and Darley Dale and they do not meet anyone’s needs. This stage of the process to find a permanent site, is down to the District Council. The decision of the council was made by the full council, not a committee. The placement of this site is subject to planning and once the application becomes live, the public can make representations to the planning department, to make their feelings heard.
I have received a high level of correspondence from constituents local to the proposed sites since my election in December. I would urge all parties to fully engage in this process going forward and to contact their District Councillors to make their views heard.
This decision by the District Council is very complicated and I am sure was incredibly difficult, but, I am pleased that this matter is finally moving forward after such a long time. By not having a permanent site we are not only failing residents of Derbyshire Dales, but also The Travellers.’’
