Travellers apply for electricity link-up (From This Is Wiltshire)

Travellers apply for electricity link-up

12:51pm Thursday 27th December 2007

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TRAVELLERS at an illegal camp in Semington have been connected to mains water and have applied to be connected to electricity despite being served a stop notice for any more work on the site.

The group legitimately bought the piece of land near West Wiltshire Crematorium and moved there earlier this month but started building work without planning permission so the notice was served.

Council officers are powerless to prevent them having water and electricity because of human rights legislation, health and safety rules and the fact that they do not require planning permission.

Parish council chairman Robert Oglesby said: "The whole village is up in arms about it. It's got all the hallmarks of what happened at Minety, in south Somerset, and across the country. It may well be an appropriate site for them but jumping the gun doesn't help their case."

West Wiltshire District Council has also received a request from the occupants through Wiltshire County Council's Social Services and the Wiltshire Primary Care Trust for them to be connected to an electricity supply.

This is because a child on the site has a serious medical condition and requires feeding by gastrostomy tube, which should be controlled by a pump with a reliable electricity supply.

A planning application has been submitted to West Wiltshire District Council for the site to become a private caravan site for three pitches and eight caravans, including a space for horses.

Semington Parish Council will have its first chance to debate the application at a meeting in the village hall on January 2 at 8pm.

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