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10:20am Saturday 6th February 2010 in
Croydon council will have to double the number of sites for gypsies and travellers under a Government housing plan.
The London Plan, which was drawn up under Ken Livingston and is being considered by Boris Johnson, requires Croydon to provide an extra 22 pitches on top of the 19 already available for travellers at the Latham’s Way site in Broad Green.
The plans are set to benefit people already living in social housing who have a “psychological aversion to bricks and mortar”.
The London Plan says 72 per cent of the need for new pitches was based on gypsies and travellers who already live in fixed accommodation.
London Assembly member Tony Arbour, who criticised the plan, said: “There is no valid rationale for doubling the number of pitches, indeed the number of caravans requiring pitches has fallen by 15 per cent in recent years. We are told that the target is based on relocating those currently in regular housing to pitches because they have a ‘psychological aversion to bricks and mortar’; this is not based on scientific research.”
Politicians opposed to the plan say the figures it is based on are flawed and argued local authorities will be forced to spend millions of pounds to meet the targets.
Under the plans, other boroughs in London will also have to increase the number of sites they have.
However, Dudley Mead, cabinet member for housing, said more pitches are needed in Croydon and estimated it would not cost more than £100,000 for 22 new pitches.
Bexley estimated it would cost them £65,000 per pitch whereas Southwark warned they could be spending £100,000 per pitch.
Coun Mead said: “The way I would go about it is find a suitable piece of the council owns. We have to supply sewage and a water supply. If I had to pick a figure, I would think I could do the whole thing for £100,000.
“Most people turn their noses up at traveller’s sites. The one we have is well run and the people there don’t cause trouble and they look after it.”
Comments(51)
szczels
says...
5:05pm Sat 6 Feb 10
reality-bites
says...
1:27pm Mon 8 Feb 10
NastyMrTom
says...
3:19pm Mon 8 Feb 10
reality-bites wrote:.... ever read a positive traveller story in the Mail r-b ?
Looks like szczels wants them all in Thornton Heath! Nomadic culture! Haha, how naive! popular resentments come from common experiences. Just one of the thousands of cases below! http://www.dailymail .co.uk/news/article- 1246466/Police-smash -Irish-traveller-gan g-suspected-half-car avan-thefts-UK.html
reality-bites
says...
11:22pm Mon 8 Feb 10
Angela M
says...
11:08am Tue 9 Feb 10
NastyMrTom
says...
12:28pm Tue 9 Feb 10
reality-bites wrote:I'm sure he was , the behaviour of some travellers is totally unacceptable. The thing is that you can't judge a community by the actions of those that make the papers. Just like you can't judge a person by the newspaper they read. Like you said ... how naive.
We have an avid Guardian reader living by our local Green, he was always making excuses for saddam, criminals, vandals even Hugo Chavez.... and yes Travellers! Never did i see such a change in a man, after Travellers moved onto the Green. Anger personified!
reality-bites
says...
1:17pm Tue 9 Feb 10
NastyMrTom
says...
2:44pm Tue 9 Feb 10
reality-bites
says...
10:03pm Tue 9 Feb 10
mcblount
says...
12:50pm Fri 12 Feb 10
NastyMrTom
says...
3:15pm Fri 12 Feb 10
Brian L Sewering
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8:42am Sun 14 Feb 10
northern scoffer
says...
10:15am Sun 14 Feb 10
Brian L Sewering
says...
12:17pm Sun 14 Feb 10
mcblount
says...
9:24pm Sun 14 Feb 10
northern scoffer
says...
10:43am Mon 15 Feb 10
Brian L Sewering
says...
11:01am Mon 15 Feb 10
northern scoffer
says...
11:34am Mon 15 Feb 10
Brian L Sewering
says...
2:55pm Mon 15 Feb 10
northern scoffer
says...
4:59pm Mon 15 Feb 10
northern scoffer
says...
6:58pm Mon 15 Feb 10
Brian L Sewering
says...
7:31am Tue 16 Feb 10
northern scoffer
says...
10:00am Tue 16 Feb 10
northern scoffer
says...
5:21pm Tue 16 Feb 10
northern scoffer
says...
9:22am Wed 17 Feb 10
Brian L Sewering
says...
11:10am Wed 17 Feb 10
miss moneyhoney
says...
1:23pm Wed 17 Feb 10
northern scoffer
says...
2:42pm Wed 17 Feb 10
northern scoffer
says...
9:46am Thu 18 Feb 10
Brian L Sewering
says...
12:17pm Thu 18 Feb 10
northern scoffer
says...
1:35pm Thu 18 Feb 10
NastyMrTom
says...
4:58pm Thu 18 Feb 10
northern scoffer
says...
5:13pm Thu 18 Feb 10
NastyMrTom wrote:Different names ? where ?? another blunder from oltom-the-gimper... wrong thread!! lmao!! bet you were a legend at sniffing bicycle saddles at school!! rofl!!
sniff sniff .... different names same filthy smell , lol , you pair of halfwit losers
NastyMrTom
says...
5:26pm Thu 18 Feb 10
northern scoffer
says...
6:42pm Thu 18 Feb 10
northern scoffer
says...
9:09am Fri 19 Feb 10
Brian L Sewering
says...
1:03pm Fri 19 Feb 10
northern scoffer
says...
1:45pm Fri 19 Feb 10
Brian L Sewering
says...
4:05pm Fri 19 Feb 10
northern scoffer
says...
10:28am Sun 21 Feb 10
Brian L Sewering
says...
11:18am Sun 21 Feb 10
Brian L Sewering
says...
7:18am Mon 22 Feb 10
northern scoffer
says...
9:39am Mon 22 Feb 10
Brian L Sewering
says...
11:52am Mon 22 Feb 10
The Great Britain
says...
1:13pm Mon 22 Feb 10
northern scoffer
says...
1:18pm Mon 22 Feb 10
Brian L Sewering
says...
2:48pm Mon 22 Feb 10
northern scoffer
says...
3:17pm Mon 22 Feb 10
northern scoffer
says...
6:19pm Mon 22 Feb 10
dur ron ron
says...
6:41am Tue 23 Feb 10
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mcblount says...
12:45pm Thu 4 Feb 10