Traveller site owner accused of threatening behaviour by objectors

Objectors to an unauthorised travellers site, which one neighbour described as “no trouble at all” have accused the owner of aggressive and threatening behaviour during a planning committee meeting.

Applicant Charlie Gaskin did not speak at the West Lindsey District Council Planning Committee meeting which discussed his retrospective application to site 12 caravans and two amenity buildings on land in Grange De Lings on Wednesday night.

However, three neighbours took to the stand to raise concerns around the development.

Alex Wright said it had been a “disastrous six months” since the travellers had arrived on site.

“We have received verbal abuse from the applicants on multiple occasions, including multiple threats to rip out our septic tank which is on their site.

“The applicant came over to my house been very aggressive, shouting, swearing, making various threats to me and my neighbours.”

He said his garden was overlooked by the development and that there had been noise pollution and traffic disruption.

“My children are already scared and intimidated by the shouting and disruption from the site and they don’t like being in the garden as much.

“What was once you’ll have the green space now looks industrialised from the driver entrance.”

He added that the site would make it difficult to install new sewage provisions and that access next to their house was “intrusive and dangerous”.

Peter Metcalfe said there had been no consultation or prior engagement before the site was developed and accused the owner of being “deceitful to avoid the intervention of planning”.

He said the retrospective application would contravene government advice and that the “isolated” site would not protect important local views.

“I’ve been intimidated to deter me from objecting, threatened physically and materially and called a racist and a paedophile,” he said.

“Don’t let the applicant ride roughshod over the laws and your authority. Approval sets a dangerous precedent for all your future decisions.”

The travellers site has been established on cottages behind Hall Lane | Photo: LDRS/The Lincolnite

Meanwhile, Mara Metcalfe said the development would undermine community cohesion.

“He’s threatened to beat us up, pull down our hedge, rip out our septic tank, all because we filed legitimate complaints through the correct channels,” she said.

“Even speaking before you now makes us vulnerable to his intimidation and retribution.”

Councillors were told, however, that one neighbour had spoken in favour of the applicant.

Mike Hewitt, said he had been “impressed by WLDC’s attitude towards change and acceptance of differant cultures”.

“I have not seen anything other than what is a large extended hard-working family that have established a home on the land they own and I am impressed by how clean well managed.

“The difference it has made to the area it feels alive with the little kids laughing and playing the horses and dogs being walked by the older kids up and down the lane.

“The Gaskins will always say hello and are very polite clean living people from what I can see and I would like to them settle down here and stay as I want to be part of a growing diverse area that has accepted that culture.”

Councillors were told by officers that despite the “emotive” comments heard they would have to make a decision based on planning matters.

Officers were recommending approval of the site.

However, there were concerns around the size and overdevelopment of the site, the neighbour’s access to the septic tank and access to the site through another neighbour’s land.

Councillors voted to conduct a site visit to examine the issues in more detail.

Reporters approached the agent for Mr Gaskin, Philp Brown Associates, however were told they had not seen the meeting and would not comment on what was said.