PLANNING officers are investigating a traveller site in Davenham.

Concerns have been raised about Oakland Park, in London Road, which has permission for six pitches and eight caravans but contains 10 caravans.

Davenham Parish Council has been in touch with a planning enforcement officer for Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWAC) to see if any action is being taken.

Cllr Andy Duff, parish council chairman, reported that the officer had met with site owners at Oakland Park and that one of the extra vans was being used as storage while the other was being used as an extra bedroom for an older resident.

He added that site owners are looking to submit a new planning application for the site.

Cllr Helen Weltman, CWAC councillor for the Davenham and Moulton ward, spoke at the meeting.

She said: "I'm not happy with it and have written to the chief executive.

"There are two extra caravans and conflicting stories about who they're for – I'm not happy with it and I'm not happy with the way the enforcement officers have handled it.

"The traveller site in Winsford is empty at the moment so they could have allowed them some room there.

"Caravans are moveable, it's not like they're building an extension."

Original plans for two pitches and four caravans at the site were approved following an appeal in March 2013.

Last year the Charlotte family, which owns the site, applied to vary conditions imposed by the planning inspector at that appeal and add four pitches for four caravans at the site.

This was approved by CWAC's planning committee in October.

Cllr Arthur Wood, from Davenham Parish Council, said: "One of the things that narks people locally is mission creep.

"This started off as planning permission for two horses.

"It's escalated stage by stage and it looks like they're intent on carrying on."

Cllr Duff said: "All we can do is continue to complain and ask enforcement officers to act."