MIDDLEWICH town councillors have agreed to take their fight against Cledford Hall becoming a transit site all the way to court if they have to.

Cheshire East Council insists it is exploring all options to find a transit site for gypsies and travellers in the borough so it can put a stop to unauthorised encampments.

But the council has earmarked Cledford Hall, in Cledford Lane, for 10 transit pitches in the latest draft for the second part of its local plan – despite ongoing opposition and claims that it would be unsuitable for the travelling community.

Now, Middlewich Town Council (MTC) has agreed to use whatever means necessary to challenge CEC – including a judicial review.

At Monday night’s meeting, Labour Cllr Russell Watkinson said: “CEC seem to be a law unto themselves.

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“This, I accept, could put us on a confrontational footing with CEC. It could put us head to head with them. Well so be it, I say.

“This decision was taken before the change of the council at CEC, but this particular issue here is still being pursued by the new administration.

“So sadly, the new administration – and a lot of those people are my so-called political colleagues – what they are going to have to learn is that this town comes first.”

MTC is concerned that transient travellers who would use the transit site might not gel with Middlewich’s established Irish traveller community.

It believes the location is not safe for travellers – with its proximity to the Ansa site and the lack of a suitable footpath along Cledford Lane towards the town.

And it also believes the site will be poor value for money for taxpayers – with CEC estimating the cost of redeveloping Cledford Hall at £1.9 million.

Cllr Jonathan Parry, Labour member on CEC and MTC, said: “This isn’t nimbyism, this isn’t about segregating communities, it’s about doing what is right.

Northwich Guardian:

“We have contacted travellers, we have spoken to spokesmen from the transient community, none of them want this site in Cledford Lane – it is the wrong site.”

If CEC decides to continue with plans for Cledford Hall after consultation on the second part of the local plan – known formally as the Site Allocations and Development Policies Document (SADPD) – MTC will wait for a formal planning application to be submitted.

The town council will oppose the site during the planning process, and if permission is granted, push the Government to ‘call in’ the decision and consider overturning it.

If that fails, MTC will then pursue a judicial review, which it estimates could cost between £25,000 and £50,000 and would be funded by the town council’s reserves.

Independent Cllr Dave Latham, who spent more than two years battling against the Ansa site in Cledford Lane, told councillors ‘you would have thought CEC would have learnt’ not to take the town on again with another unpopular plan.

Northwich Guardian:

He said: “CEC came knocking, brought it and thought they were going to do it without a fight.

“The time is to stand up for Middlewich, and if they think they can railroad Middlewich again – like they tried to do for the Ansa site – then I think they are in for a rough ride.”

CEC previously won planning permission for a transit site at Cledford Hall in 2015 despite strong opposition, but this lapsed last year.

The borough has been hit with a string of unauthorised gypsy and traveller encampments since then – including at Barony Park, in Nantwich, where 10 camps have been set up so far this year.

A residents’ meeting will take place tonight (August 21) to discuss the mooted Cledford Hall transit site at Middlewich Methodist Church, in Booth Lane, from 7.30pm.

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Meanwhile an online petition set up by Cllr Parry against the proposal had received more than 320 signatures so far, and paper copies will be made available at tonight’s meeting.

But CEC insists it is not set in stone that Cledford Hall will be used as the borough’s transit site.

Labour Cllr Nick Mannion, cabinet member for environment and regeneration, said: “The council has a responsibility to address all housing needs – including those of gypsies and travellers. The council is also fully aware of the impact on our local communities of unauthorised gypsy and traveller encampments.

Northwich Guardian:

“CEC continues to explore options for a permanent gypsy and traveller transit site. We are in the process of undertaking a feasibility study at Cledford Hall and will establish the potential cost of such development.

“While this work is carried out, we are considering other mechanisms to deal with the increase in unauthorised encampments. We recognise that this is an important issue to residents and communities and we are seeking a long-term solution to it.

“However, I would emphasise that no final decision has been made and any proposals for a transit site in the borough would be subject to the normal planning approval process, with local residents and members being given opportunity to share their views and any concerns before any decision is taken.

“As part of the latest phase of the local plan, the council has called for landowners and residents to help identify potential sites to ascertain if there are any further locations that might be suitable for gypsy and traveller sites.”

Consultation on the SADPD is now open until September 30, and residents can have their say on the transit site allocation at Cledford Hall by visiting cheshireeast.gov.uk/consultations

To sign the petition click here.