Villagers ‘victims of anti-social Traveller behaviour’
But the Travellers, the majority of whom are from Ireland, who want to expand the camp on the edge of Cottenham near Cambridge said they were an ethnic minority suffering racial discrimination.
The two sides laid out their concerns as a planning inspector began to hear more than a dozen appeals from Travellers, who have been refused permission to establish plots at the Smithy Fen camp by local authority South Cambridgeshire District Council.
A site has existed at Smithy Fen for 40 years, housing between 30 and 40 families. But over the past year scores more Travellers have arrived and set up camp illegally. And many are challenging local council planning orders telling them to leave. More than 1,000 villagers in Cottenham threatened to withhold their council tax for 2004-’05 if the size of the site was not curtailed and about 50 tore up their bills on the village green in a symbolic protest.
Residents say there have been growing problems of anti-social behaviour as a result of the influx of extra Travellers, most of whom are thought to come from Ireland.
Tensions mounted following the stabbing to death of local postman Peter Stone. Mr Stone was drinking in a local pub along with more than 40 Travellers. He was later murdered. A number of Travellers were questioned, but no arrests have been made.
Rick Bristow, for the Cottenham Residents’ Association, told the inquiry in Cambridge: “Cottenham is multi-cultural. Ethnic minorities have lived and thrived here for decades.
“Some are ex-prisoners of war who were well-treated and decided to stay, others gypsies and Travellers who came to the area as pickers, gatherers, farriers, herdsmen.”
He added: “The gypsy or Traveller is no stranger to the village and the village has no history of anti-traveller behaviour. On the other hand there is no suggestion either of a cultural love affair, in fact there are tales of open hostility resulting from purported thefts of machinery and animals.
“But despite periods of distrust and aversion, at no time until now, have villagers expressed fear for personal and family safety. The Irish Travellers that arrived early in 2003 broke with tradition. The open hostility and expression of mob rule was the antithesis of what Cottenham had come to expect from those gipsies who generally resorted to the area. The situation now is that we seek dismissal of all appeals ... parts of Cottenham Village have been victim to crass anti-social behaviour and appalling incidents of intimidation.
“This is not an expression of hate or racial intolerance. It is a reflection of our belief that peaceful co-existence means maintaining a balanced community.”
Alan Masters, for the Traveller families appealing against the council’s refusal to grant planning permission, said it was “about racial discrimination against an ethnic minority”.
He said Smithy Fen was more than a mile from Cottenham and said visitors would not see Travellers in the village - a suggestion that was met with laughter from listening residents. If permission was granted there would be 250 Travellers living near Cottenham, which had a population of 5,000.
Mr Masters told inquiry inspector David Baldock that material produced on local websites about the Travellers “offended against the Race Relations Act”.
He said a website set up by residents and called Middle England in Revolt had referred to Travellers as being aggressive people who did not respect planning laws. Mr Masters said increasing the size of the site by around 15 pitches would not cause major problems.
Mr Masters said South Cambridgeshire District Council, which had a duty to accommodate Travellers, had shut down two of its four sites in recent years.
Melissa Murphy, for South Cambridgeshire District Council, said officials could not establish whether the people wanting to establish plots were Travellers because of the “inadequacy” of information provided.
The inquiry is expected to last at least a week.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
