Council announces arrangements for Planning Committee hearing on Gypsy and Traveller sites applicati

South Norfolk Council is moving part of its Planning Committee meeting to Long Stratton Leisure Centre in a bid to accommodate the number of people who may want to attend the committee proceedings on the applications for Gypsy and Traveller sites at Costessey and Harleston.

The council has also decided to hold the committee over two days. The first is an evening meeting, set aside for consideration of the proposed Gypsy and Traveller sites at Costessey and Harleston. The second, on the following day, will consider the rest of the applications before the committee:

- 1st Evening: Wednesday, December 14th, Long Stratton Leisure Centre;

5pm onwards to hear the proceedings concerning the application on the proposed site at Costessey:

2005/2281 - Temporary use of land as a Gypsy/Traveller site for six named family units on land off Longwater Lane, Costessey.

7pm onwards to hear the proceedings concerning the applications on the two proposed sites at Harleston:

2005/2279 - Use of land for a Gypsy/Traveller site on land off Spirketts Lane, Harleston

2005/2280 - Temporary use of land as a Gypsy/Traveller site for six named family units on land at Rushall Road, Harleston.

- 2nd day: Thursday, December 15th, South Norfolk House.

1.30pm onwards to hear the rest of the committee's proceedings on the other applications before it.

The council's car park, beside the headquarters' offices of South Norfolk House, in Long Stratton, will be cleared and set aside for members of the public to use. There is also public parking at the local Co-op store in Swan Lane and limited parking at the centre itself.

In common with all buildings, Long Stratton Leisure Centre has strict limits on numbers of people to comply with fire safety regulations. These mean that the Leisure Centre main hall where the Planning Committee will sit holds up to 500 people. There will be space for up to a further 50 members of the public in a side room, which will be connected by audio link to the main hall.

Geoff Rivers, South Norfolk Council's Chief Executive said:

"This is an unusual move for us, but it reflects our determination to make sure that as many people as we can accommodate are given the opportunity to attend the committee and hear its decision.

"That is why we have taken the important safety step of splitting the meeting to better manage the numbers of residents we expect. If the Costessey residents come at 5pm and leave when the application they are interested in has been decided, that will ensure there is room available for the Harleston residents we expect at around 7pm.

"That is also why we are clearing the council car park to ensure that residents have somewhere safe to park, which is within five minutes walk of the Leisure Centre. There will be limited parking at the Leisure Centre itself, and at the public car park in front of the Co-op store in Swan Lane, about a quarter of a mile from the Leisure Centre.

"To those residents and others who have other applications of interest, we trust that they will understand, and will be able to attend the Planning Committee meeting the next day, Thursday 15th December, at 1.30pm at South Norfolk House, Long Stratton."

Related pages

• Latest news