Gipsies win right to stay

A FAMILY of gipsies are delighted they have been given planning permission to stay on land at Churcham.

Terry Smith, 46, and his wife Shirley, 45, were unanimously given the go-ahead to keep their four caravans at Oak Tree Park, Main Road, Churcham.

They live at the site, beside the main A40, with their children Shirley, 20, Terry, 18, and Dean, 16, and Terry's parents Connor, 72, and Alice Smith, 74.

Addressing Tuesday's meeting of Forest of Dean District Council's development control committee the family explained why living in Churcham was so important to them.

Mrs Smith said: "My father-in-law has been in hospital for a month and my mother-in-law has to attend appointments at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital for the rest of her life.

"They aren't just my husband's parents but they're my children's grandparents. We're a family.

"We desperately need to live there. We've been all around Gloucestershire to try and find other sites to no avail."

Councillors sympathised with the Smiths' plight.

Coun George Read (Ind, Mitcheldean and Drybrook) said: "This site is very clean and tidy and there are no complaints from that area whatsoever. I fully support their applications."

The Smiths are Romany gipsies and the family has lived in the area for more than 50 years.

They applied for temporary planning permission to use the land for a gipsy site for two mobile homes and a touring caravan in December 2004 but it was refused.

In May 2005 the family's application was allowed on appeal.

The latest application is temporary and will last five years giving the Smiths a chance to secure an alternative site.

Speaking afterwards Shirley said: "I'm very pleased. We get on well with everyone in the village."