The controversial site

AN illegal ‘gypsy’ site has been given three weeks to apply for planning permission or face being shut down.

The site which neighbours expensive homes in The Avenue, Oaklands, is currently being used as “temporary B&B accommodation for gypsies and travellers”, according to Welwyn Hatfield Council’s planning officer Richard Aston.

In a last-minute move, site owner Mr Rooney, who lives in a five-bedroom house next to the site, submitted an invalid planning application on the morning of the committee meeting on Thursday.

Fearful of a large court bill, Welwyn Hatfield councillors debated the pros and cons of taking immediate action to clear the site.

Earlier in the same meeting, councillors refused a resident in the same street permission to build a granny annexe so his family could look after his 83-year-old ailing mother, by sticking firmly to the planning laws.

Cllr Steven Markiewicz said: “We’ve turned down [one application in] The Avenue; we turn down owner improvements time and time again. The people of this community have had our full force, but this particular chap [the site owner] has not.

“It’s time to say enough and make it known to the people of this area we are protecting them and their properties.”

Many of the elected representatives were demanding action now, but Cllr Irene Dean warned: “We can’t keep spending money we don’t have.”

But other councillors called for a more immediate response.

Cllr Helen Bromley said: “This has been going on for a long time.

“We shouldn’t delay just because it is gypsies and travellers.”

Cllr Caron Juggins agreed. She said: “Why is it different because it’s gypsies and travellers?

“I think that’s so wrong, they shouldn’t have special privileges.

“I can’t have a caravan in my garden, it wouldn’t be allowed.”

And Cllr Jon Beckerman said: “This is a money-making venture by Mr Rooney.

“He’s got a five-bedroom house that he lives in, there are eight caravans there, we need to enforce this and we need to do it now.”

After taking advice from planning officers, councillors agreed to wait 21 days for a valid planning application to be submitted.

If no application is received enforcement action to clear the site within one month would be taken by the council.