WELL over 100 villagers attended a crowded meeting this morning to raise a series of objections to a proposed gypsy and travellers' site at Naburn

The public meeting in Naburn Village Hall centred on proposals outlined in City of York Council’s latest draft Local Plan, which will see Acres Farm near the McArther Glen designer outlet become a 15-pitch site. 

Villagers have decided to set up an action group to fight the proposals.

York Outer MP Julian Sturdy, who organised the meeting, claimed the council’s estimation of how many new pitches were needed in York was over-inflated and based on inaccurate assessment. He claimed the site, which is on the green belt, is also inappropriate.

He said: "For me it's really important we have a Local Plan. But we have got to have the right Local Plan and it's driven by local people and local needs.

"I really have grave concerns about the way the council has assessed the needs for travellers. They say we need 50 pitches. If there is such a shortfall we would see illegal encampments across the city and we don't see that."

Concerns were also raised by a spokesman from Fulford Community Orchard, who said people should be aware of further plans for the area around Acres Farm which is earmarked to be the new home for the Park and Ride and for a freight centre. He said this raised questions about how the road network would cope and the huge impact on the "designated wildlife corridor" in the area.

Speaking about the proposed 15-pitch site, Laurie Gunson, of Naburn Parish Council, said each pitch could have up to three caravans and two heavy vehicles on it, which could amount to up to 200 people living on the site.  As a result of this, another resident questioned whether the already heavily subscribed primary school would be able to cope with such an influx of families.

However, Conservative George Barton said the Local Plan had been temporarily halted due to  Labour’s loss of majority control and he hoped opposition to the plan would now "have a  voice".

A further second site on Moor Lane, Rufforth, has also been earmarked for 30 pitches for travellers by 2020.


Previous plans to put traveller sites in Dunnington, Knapton, Huntington and Elvington - which were all opposed - have fallen through when they were deemed unsuitable, the meeting heard. 

Previously proposed land for traveller sites had been privately owned but the Naburn site is owned by the council. The former home of Naburn Hospital, it has remained available since a deal to sell the land fell through last year.

Mike Slater, assistant director of City and Environmental Services, said: “Assessment work is ongoing in relation to the suitability, viability and deliverability of sites and as part of this, site selection work by specialist consultants on Gypsy, Roma & Traveller and Travelling Showpeople provision has been produced. However, it’s important that the approach to ensuring a supply of sites is the same as that taken for housing, for the settled community, through the Local Plan. Furthermore local planning authorities have a duty through their Local Plan to identify a supply of specific deliverable sites sufficient to provide five years’ worth of sites against their locally set targets and identify a supply of specific, developable sites or broad locations for growth, for years six to ten and, where possible, for years 11-15.”