A SITE for Romani Gypsies or Travellers in a village near Taunton could be officially allowed, if plans are approved.
An application to change the use of land at Greenacres, in Oxen Lane, North Curry, from agricultural to a Gypsy/Travellers site has been submitted to Somerset Council.
The scheme – in part to allow works already undertaken – seeks permission for 16 pitches and associated works, including mobile homes, touring caravans, a treatment plant and entrance gates.
A previous application to create a Gypsy/Traveller site on the plot was refused by Taunton Deane Borough Council in 2015. Other applications for the site, submitted over the last two decades, have also been refused.
However, the new plan aims to address reasons for the refusal, which included the impact on highway safety, harm to the character of the landscape, and restrictions on development in open countryside.
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“There has been a policy failure of Somerset councils to make land available that can be used to provide accommodation for Gypsies/Travellers,” the application said.
A report accompanying the plans pointed to “very low” traffic flow in the area, as well as low speeds recorded on the route, with details of planned improvements to the access.
For more details on the scheme, log on to somerset.gov.uk and search application reference 24/25/0006.
I don’t see an issue with this, as long as it is not used for static caravans and that rules are enforced that it for temporary pitches only. After all they are “Travellers”
Most people understand the need to make proper provision for Gypsy and Traveller communities. But what’s happening at Oxen Lane is far from a simple case of temporary use.
The site is already under a High Court injunction that bans development and residential use – yet work has carried on without planning permission. Temporary pitches don’t reflect reflect what’s actually happening, which is clearly significant development for permanent occupation.
There have been repeated breaches of planning rules, and the lack of timely enforcement has allowed this to go on for months. This is about making sure planning laws are followed, the process is fair, and our countryside is properly protected.
This ignores the fact there is a High Court Injunction preventing the use that’s being applied for!! The site is already being unlawfully occupied with all habitat destroyed!
This land has a High Court since 2010 banning occupation and development. In late 2024, it was taken over unlawfully and turned into a full residential site without permission. The planning application says the families are homeless, but they moved from other static sites nearby and from out of county, knowing full well this land couldn’t legally be used. They don’t travel. It feels like the rules are being ignored — and if the Council lets this pass, what’s the point of planning laws at all?
The traveler’s turned up at dawn last October with earth moving equipment knowing full well that there was a high court induction in place banning them from occupying the land, they have proceeded to clear it laying caravan pitches and moved more and more families onto the site! Completely disregarding being told to stop.
The noise from diggers has gone on continuously to this day along with shouting & arguing ..our local children have been intimidated in the village playground..if the planners allow this to happen it makes a mockery of every denied application from law-abiding villagers and the thousands they have spent jumping through hoops set by the planners
It refers to the Oxen Lane development as a “Traveller site near Taunton [that] could finally be approved,” implying a legitimate, longstanding proposal. In reality, the site has been subject to a High Court injunction since 2010, explicitly prohibiting residential use. Despite this, the land was unlawfully occupied and developed without planning permission in late 2023.
The statement that the application seeks to “allow works already undertaken” also understates the seriousness of the situation. The development includes extensive groundworks, hardstanding, fencing, and the installation of utility infrastructure—all carried out without authorisation and in breach of national planning guidance. This fits the government’s definition of intentional unauthorised development, which the Planning Policy for Traveller Sites (PPTS) states should be a material consideration weighing against the grant of permission.
There is also no mention of the overwhelming local opposition. The Parish Council has unanimously objected. Numerous statutory consultees, including Highways and Ecology, have raised serious concerns. The proposal directly conflicts with planning policies designed to protect rural landscapes, manage safe road access, and prevent unsustainable development.
While the article paints a picture of patient applicants waiting for permission, the reality is that the site was deliberately developed in defiance of the planning system, and approval now would set a deeply troubling precedent. It’s essential the public are made aware of the full context.
I am deeply concerned about the misleading nature of the article written by the journalist regarding the unlawfully occupied traveller site. The article appears to lack crucial facts, including the reality that the site is currently subject to a High Court injunction, and the occupation is unlawful.
This omission misrepresents the serious impact the unlawful encampment has had on the local community. Residents have had to endure significant noise, environmental damage, and disruption to wildlife. The destruction of green spaces and the disregard for planning laws undermine the rights of the community and the protection of local ecosystems.
Articles that overlook these realities only fuel misinformation and diminish the voices of affected families and community members.
I urge greater journalistic responsibility when reporting on sensitive matters such as this, especially when the facts – legal and environmental – are so clear and significant.
Completely agree with this. The article paints an incomplete picture and fails to acknowledge the very serious legal and environmental issues surrounding this site. The fact that the land is currently occupied in breach of a High Court injunction is not a minor detail, it is central to understanding the gravity of the situation.
Local people have watched as the field was transformed almost overnight, with no regard for planning law, wildlife, or community impact. The noise, the damage to habitats, and the total lack of accountability have left many feeling powerless and unheard.
It is incredibly frustrating to see reporting that glosses over these facts, especially when residents who raise concerns are so often accused of being intolerant. This is not about prejudice, it is about fairness, the rule of law, and the protection of our shared environment.
Thanks for calling it out, more people need to.
Renewed Planning Application for Oxen Lane Traveller Site Draws Sharp Criticism
A new planning application has been submitted for a 16-pitch Gypsy/Traveller site off Oxen Lane, North Curry — despite the site already being subject to a long history of refusal, legal enforcement, a High Court Injunction and community opposition.
The proposal, made under application number 24/25/0006, seeks full permission for 16 mobile homes, 16 touring caravans, and permanent day rooms across a greenfield site in open countryside, just outside the North Curry settlement boundary.
A Site With a Troubled Past
This is not the first time development has been proposed at this location. In 2004, a strikingly similar application was refused on the grounds of harm to landscape character, highway safety risks, and failure to meet local planning policies. The reasons for refusal cited visual intrusion, poor access, and the unsuitability of the site for a development of this scale in open countryside.
Many of those same concerns remain relevant today.
Unlawful Occupation Already Underway
What makes this latest application especially controversial is the fact that development and occupation of the site began before the application was submitted. When the application was recently validated, around 40 people were already living on the site unlawfully. Somerset Council enforcement officers have confirmed that plots were laid out, caravans brought in, and infrastructure installed without planning permission.
This activity is taking place despite the existence of a High Court Injunction, originally granted in 2010, which prohibits the residential occupation of this site. The injunction was granted following earlier enforcement action and remains in force. Notices referencing the injunction and new enforcement proceedings have been posted at the site and in the surrounding area.
Contradictory and Incomplete
The current proposal contains no credible assessment of highway safety, no detailed landscaping plan, no ecological report, and no assessment of local infrastructure impacts. There is no evidence of consultation with statutory bodies on access, drainage, or environmental sensitivity.
While the site is described as intended for use by Gypsy and Traveller families, the application contains no supporting evidence to demonstrate need. There is no reference to Somerset’s Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA), no personal circumstances statement, and no documentation showing how the site would meet a specific local shortfall or accommodate individuals currently on the Council’s waiting list.
Disregard for Local Process
The site lies within a designated rural landscape character area and falls outside the North Curry settlement boundary. No justification is provided for the scale, layout, or location of the proposed development, and no measures have been put forward to mitigate its visual and environmental impact.
Despite this, the site was occupied without permission, and unauthorised development has continued even while Somerset Council has confirmed that formal legal action is underway. Public notices have now been served confirming enforcement proceedings, and the existence of the High Court Injunction adds significant weight to the view that this site should never have been developed or occupied.
Not a Suitable Site
The proposal raises serious concerns around planning integrity, highway safety, and environmental impact. It fails to address the grounds on which a previous application was refused and appears to bypass the proper planning process by pre-emptively occupying the land and then seeking retrospective permission.
Members of the public can view and comment on the application by searching reference 24/25/0006 on the Somerset Council Planning Portal.