PLANS for a family of “Travellers” to provide homes for themselves in Rhyl have been approved on appeal.

In March 2022, Denbighshire County Council’s planning committee turned down an application by Phillip Purcell for six static caravans on land behind his own home on Kynsal House, Vale Road.

Mr Purcell, who has lived in Kynsal House, a two-storey detached dwelling, since 2019, said he needed the extra accommodation for his six adult children and their own families.

He appealed the planning committee’s decision, and it has now been overturned following an appeal hearing and site visit by planning inspector, Nia Jones, on April 30.

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Extracts from a personal statement made on Mr Purcell’s behalf read: “All of the family group have a need for a settled base, and as the appeal site is family-owned, it represents their best opportunity to meet their needs.

“Their need will be limited to one static home each, and any touring caravans and motor homes will be removed to a storage facility.

“The children need to have a settled base so that they can attend school and receive an education. Without a settled base, this cannot occur.

“Also, there is a need for the family to access health facilities. Currently, they need to rely on visits to hospital for any urgent care.”

At the time of Ms Jones’ site visit, static caravans present at the time of the council’s decision in 2022 had been removed.

When considering the appeal, she was asked to take into account particular factors such as the effect on neighbours’ living conditions, potential flood risks, and highway safety.

But she said: “There is no reason to believe that the daily activities at the site would result in unacceptable disturbance to neighbouring occupiers, particularly given the site’s location within a mixed and densely developed residential and commercial area.

“Moreover, some of the site’s intended occupiers may be periodically absent from the site travelling for work, reducing the habitual level of on-site activity, whilst a planning condition could also ensure that no inappropriate commercial activity would take place on the site.”

During her mid-afternoon site visit, Ms Jones said that she noticed Vale Road accommodated a steady vehicular and pedestrian traffic, including school pupils.

She found that the proposal would not harm highway safety, or the living conditions of neighbours, and would, in fact, provide a “sustainable site”.

Ms Jones also felt that Mr Purcell’s children’s best interests would be served by a settled family base and access to education and other necessary services.

In addition, she acknowledged  “the existing unmet need for Gypsy and Traveller sites in Denbighshire”, which is “unlikely to be met in the foreseeable future”.

She added: "Given the accepted lack of alternative provision, dismissing the appeal is likely to condemn the children to a roadside existence.”

Ms Jones approved the appeal with conditions attached, including that there must not be more than six permanent static caravan on the site at any time.

No additional static caravans, touring caravans or motor homes shall be brought onto the site at any time, either, and no commercial or livery activities can take place on the land, including the storage of materials.