Residents oppose new plan for gypsy pitch near playing field

RESIDENTS have opposed a third bid to build a gypsy pitch on undeveloped land in Sonning Common.

Building contractors John and Cindy Ayres have applied to the planning authority to develop 0.7 hectares of vacant land near Bishopwood recreation ground. They want to install a “static” mobile home unit and dayroom on the north-western side of the site in Gallowstree Road.

It would also create a turning circle, three parking spaces and a base for the mobile home unit. They also plan to enclose the pitch with native hedgerows and reinforce the existing boundary shrubs.

The site neighbours Rotherfield United Football Club to the south and Little Birches Nursery and Sonning Common and District Tennis Club to the west. It is part of a former Second World War camp which has a public footpath running through it and is in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

More than 300 students were moved to the camp from a London orphanage during the conflict and there are the remains of two deteriorating buildings, which are set to be demolished. The developers have said that the proposal will not negatively impact the landscape and character of the area. They say it has been “sensitively designed” to minimise the visual impact on the surroundings. They claim that the application addresses the shortfall of 34 pitches identified in the Oxfordshire Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment for the five-year period up to 2028.

In South Oxfordshire, there are currently 10 gypsy and traveller sites with 54 pitches. A previous attempt to install two gypsy pitches on the site was refused in 2022. It received almost 200 objections from residents and an appeal was dismissed in 2024.

In its refusal, South Oxfordshire District Council said that the land represented a “countryside gap” which plays an important role in preserving the landscape. The new application has cut the number of pitches by one and proposes additional planting where they had previously wanted to build a second pitch on the eastern side of the site.

More than 20 residents have opposed the new application, saying the pitch would negatively impact the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Some also claim that access to the site would be unsafe because it exits on to a busy 60mph road.

There is no public transport near the site and the distance from village facilities makes some residents concerned there would be a reliance on car travel. Lisa Drew, of Chiltern Bank, said: “This will affect our local wildlife and bird population, not to mention bats who roost in the trees. It’s also on the doorstep of our local football club and nursery. I am strongly against this planning application which has been refused twice already.”

Ulrike Kohl, of Orchard Avenue, said previous objections are still valid and that he is worried about the site’s proximity to Old Copse, an ancient woodland to the north-east of the site. He said: “The previous application for two gypsy pitches had previously been refused, with the appeal also having been dismissed. The amended planning application for one gypsy pitch does not address the concerns previously identified.

“The resulting development would undermine the pattern of development in the area, the principles of sustainably located development as well as environmental protection while also conflicting with the adopted development plan.

“The site is located outside of the settlement boundary in an unsustainable location with limited access to public transport or sustainable modes of transport. Due to the site’s unsustainable location, it should be considered unsuitable for development in principle.

“The location of the proposal is unsuitable for development and will have a harmful effect on the openness of the open countryside and while contributing to the undesirable coalescence of settlements.

“Not only would the introduction of the built form erode the character and appearance of the landscape, but the proposal would also erode the gap between Sonning Common and Gallowstree Common. This gap has an important role to play in preserving the openness of the countryside.”

Little Birches Nursery objected to the proposal over concerns about the impact on the landscape. David Worthy, managing director for Meredene, which owns the land occupied by the nursery, said the development was unsuitable. He said: “A previous application on this site has been rejected and we see no reason for this new application. It is simply wholly unsuitable and this application should be rejected.”

Jonathon Edney, of Peppard Road, said: “The heavy toll the proposed development will have on both the children’s nursery and the nearby playing fields is in my opinion too heavy a cost to bear.

“The physical and mental health benefits of exercise are well documented, as is the way that open playing space for our young people’s recreational pursuits has been eroded in recent years. “I would therefore urge you not to put the wellbeing of our local youngsters at risk by approving this application.”

Another attempt to develop the land for homes was refused in 2016. The district council turned it down after opposition from the parish councils in Sonning Common, Kidmore End and Peppard.