A PLANNING application to expand a Travellers caravan site near Winchester has been rejected by the city council.

The application was to expand the site, which currently has four pitches, to 13 pitches in the village of Durley.

The main objections to the proposal came from villagers, with reasons given by the parish council and local residents.

The original application was submitted by Dr Angus Murdoch of Murdoch Planning Ltd on behalf of Mssrs Saunders, Keet and Castle.

Concerns over the site were raised because it was thought that increasing the number of pitches would increase traffic in that area of the village.

However, the planning officer’s report said: “It is not considered that the proposal would result in unacceptable adverse impacts to the residential amenities by way of overlooking, overbearing or loss of light.”

Durley Parish Council objected to the proposal, citing reasons such as “the lack of parking on the site, insufficient drainage, other sites in the area not being considered, lack of local school places and antisocial behaviour from occupiers.”

During the planning process, the city council received 55 letters of objection from 43 addresses.

One letter, from Durley resident Jennifer Dozar, said: “I do not have any confidence that the proposed plan will be followed or enforced.

“Contrary to what has been stated in the application, the site is visible from the road as four of the caravans are very close to the boundary and there is very little in the way of hedge.

“I believe some of the original hedges have been cut back to allow more space for caravans.”

Another Durley resident, Christine Delmege, was more agreeable to the proposal. In a letter to the council, she said: “I have no objection to this as long as the occupants pay the correct council tax, utilities including water and sewerage rates and the site passes health and safety regulations.

“They should also understand the permission is for 13 only.”

In a letter from Durley Parish Council, they said their main concerns were that the site would be over-developed, with the increase from four to 13 caravan pitches.

They also said that the current caravans had “been rented out so this could be a money making exercise rather than used for what it is intended”.

The current appeal status of the planning application is currently unknown.