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Tom's gonna be well cross with me about this thread, but however misguided it may be, it's well-intended, so I know he'll forgive me. Eventually.

Most of you know the battle Tom & Mrs Tom have had with the Planning Authorities.

Well, on Thursday (tomorrow) at 4pm, it may be all over, as the Hearing takes place at 4pm.

Some detail for you.

The Council & Govrnment Departments wil give evidence, they want Tom evicted. To make their case, they will give spoken evidence. For 5 minutes, half an hour, 3 hours, 3 days, whatever it takes. And British Justice being what it is, Tom is allowed to give Evidence too. For 3 minutes. Maximum. Not a second longer. Equality does not apply when we are dealing with Instiututional Racism, see?

The possible outcomes are.....

1) He wins. Tom rates this as 0%.

2) He loses. Tom rates this at 80%.

3) Tom is given a 3 year "temporary" right to live where he does. This is the outcome Tom fears most, as it means that once again, after 7 years of struggling, he still does not know where his & his Family's future lies.

I saw Tom on Sunday, at Cardiff, & he was his normal cheerful self. On Monday, at Luton, he was different. I walked into Luton, Tom was sitting alone, face like a seaside donkey, & never managed a smile when we met. "What's up Tom?" bought no real answer, "nothing much, da de da". I rung him today - he's best left awhile when he has problems, & he confessed the Planning Appeal was troubling him & Mrs Red terribly. An objection had been made by a local resident on Monday, it was insulting, disgusting, racist, & clearly a "plant". There had been objections when Tom first moved in, 7 years back, "gippos not served in this shop" sort of thing, but he's won everyone over since, just by being himself, ditto Mrs Red.

They had an Audience with Her Majesty at Buckingham Palace last year, so Mrs Red could be thanked for her tireless work on behaf of the Gypsy Liasion Group, & she now works pretty much full-time on a voluntary bsasis for disadvantaged folks of all denominations. Tom is a Member of the local Village Environmental Group, & helps out with their Projects, again voluntarily.

And their home? Well, it's a bunch of fields, almost invisible to passers by, but Tom's made it into a place of beauty, a mini wildlife park. The grass is trim, there are lovely bushes which they have planted, they keep the hedgerows the way nature intended, & they've cleaned up the little brook which runs through the property. In the next field - also Tom's - the Shetland pony prances around. Don't take my word for it, ask the numerous blondes that have visited Tom - we all adore it there, & would swap wtih him, given half a chance. Not a piece of rubbish or litter in sight either, the place is spotless. Of course, the Council won't empty his bins, as they don't recognize his existence, & won't accept Council Tax from him, so he empties his own wheelie-bins, & does not benefit from any Council services. So he does not cost anyone a penny piece.

His Daughters & Grand-Daughters visit regularly, you've never seen a happier family unit. One day, Mr & Mrs Red hope, the land they own will pass on to their Daughters.

So what's this Post all about?

Well, Tom & Mrs Red do NOT want your sympathy, they don't, it achieves nothing, so please dont give any. Nor does Tom believe in all this daft "public protest" nonsense. It's never once achieved anything.

But as Gypsies, living their life in a tight-knit community, they love blode, & the blondes, for the community spirit & good moral standards it has, which echoes their life.

"I assume you'll not be at Luton tonight Tom" I said to him today, thinking an early night would be in order. "Well, I won't be sleeping tonight, so I might just come down, as long as Mrs Red is gonna be OK, as she's feeling the pressure too". It's a disgrace that these good, solid, folks should be subject to such mental torment. I ache for ethnic minorities - for that's what he is officially classified as - when they are treated so shabbily by Britain.

We all know Tom, either in real-life, or via blonde. He has almost no enemies, has never borrowed a penny off a soul, is a champion of the underdog, & has entertained us regally with his splendid anecdotes ever since blonde began.

He was once offered a Sponsorship Deal to defect from blonde to a "rival" Forum, but he stayed with us. And has never been paid a penny.

So a few words of solidarity or support for the lovely couple from you guys would be appreciated - more than you can even begin to imagine.

My message to Tom is short. Persevere, you'll get there mate. And whatever happens, you will never be short of friends. We will always be here for you.

Good Luck tomorrow Tom. Even 7-2 can beat Aces.

xx

Good luck

The best of luck tomorrow to you both. My spirit will be there with you at 4pm!!!!!

Good Luck with your battle Tom.

Tikay tells of a strong character with a host of admirable qualities when he speaks about you. This together with the seemingly blissful relationship you & Mrs. Red share make me think the future is bright for you whatever tomorrow may bring.

good luck red and mrs red

GL to you both.

dont let the bastards get you down.

This has been hanging over their heads for too long. Good luck to you both, I just wish there was something we could do.

Tracey x

;goodluck;  - keep on fighting to the end, as any Yorkshireman would.

:)up

The system is "screwed" its all geared wrong but sometimes they do see the, i'll be hoping that this is one of those times i shall hold a moments silence at 4PM and think of you both, you know we are all here for you.

Good Luck

Photurian.

 All the very best for tomorrow.

 
 

Should read "sometimes they do see the light"

Best of luck to you both and  :cheers: here's hoping for a good result.

Best of luck both. Fingers crossed for you.

The local council have said that they can no longer find grounds to object to my planning application, but they have told the environment agency that if they were to object on the grounds that the land is within the floodplain, and also agree to fund any appeal. then they (the council) will recommend refusal.

IMHO, if the council believe their decision to be fair and just, they should not need to ask someone else to supply the funds to uphold it.

These are the points I want to make tommorrow.


1: I have had a comprehensive independent assessment of the flood risk to my property. It was carried out by an acknowledged expert and his report finds that the risk of significant flooding is minimal.
 
2: Local people testify that work carried out by Severn Trent to address the problem of flooding in Sharnford was very successful. The common consensus seems to be that I am at no significant risk from flooding, and that my home will not be detrimental to the function of the flood plain.
 
3: I have lived here for almost 7 years now, in that time we have had record rainfall on two occasions, the most recent of these being this summer, it was responsible for major flooding in many parts of the country. Even during this, the severest of tests, I encountered no problems.
 
4: I have a daughter who suffers from a condition called Tuberous Sclerosis. She is on the kidney register and it is important that she has good access to medical care by people who are familiar with her case and her condition. If we were forced back on to the road side, that would no longer be possible.
 
5: We have integrated well into village life, My eldest daughter is working full time, and my youngest daughter has made friends in the village and is furthering her education. My wife and I try as best we can to be useful members of the community and are involved in several activities, such as working with the environment group and fund-raising etc. We also have made many friends.
 
6: I have done my best to ensure that my site is always tidy and that it blends in with it's surroundings. For the benefit of the local people I allowed the footpath that crosses my land to be widened by 1 metre, and I gave permission for dog-waste bins to be sited along it.
 
7: Despite being obligated to do so, the local authority are unable to find a suitable alternative site for me, a fact that has remained true for almost 7 years. During that time, planning permission has twice been refused at local level, but has been granted by the inspector at public enquiry. Nothing has changed. Please don't put us through the mental anguish of going back to the inspector for the third time with exactly the same story.
 
8: This whole process has been a tremendous strain on both myself and my wife, we often feel that we can't go on. I understand that the planning officer is recommending refusal, but the final decision has to be made by you, the committee. Please allow this application

And you have 3 minutes to get that across?

The very best of luck to you both

Good luck tomorrow Tom, we've already seen the "little man" beat the "big man" once this month, let's hope that we get the same result.

Wish I could help.  May this be one river you hit.

Thinking of you both - good luck.

Mr & Mrs Red, I wish you all the luck for tomorrow.

It saddens and sickens me when the authorities do something like this.There is so much that is bad and wrong in this world yet they resort to victimising innocent people like your goodselfs.

I will be thinking off you tomorrow,good luck

 7 YEARS and no problems....in fact quite the opposite!!

 Any chance of some common bloody sense here??

 :)up

You have always both been there to support me, I only wish that tomorrow I was there to return just a fraction of the support you two give so freely, but I will be with you all day in thoughts. I have been fortunate to visit your home and I really can not understand how anyone would not want you to be part of the community or how any local authority can not see that you are a credit and assett to it also.

Love Maureen, Darren , Stacey and Reecey boy..xxxx

Hi Tom,

I'm deeply saddened that this type of prejudice is still rife in this country in this day and age. It reflects badly on our government as a whole and our local governing bodies.

I wish you and your good lady all the very best tomorrow and hope that you finally achieve what should rightly be yours and that your worries on this issue will finally be over,

Ian.

Haven't got the words - a first
So angry.
I wish you total and absolute success

Good Luck

GL mate, all the best.

all the best mate.

All the best !!

good luck.......hopefully common sense will prevail

Goodluck Tom , will be thinking of you tommorow  :)up

best of luck - will be thinking of you tomorrow.

Best wishes to both of you.  The whole thing sounds unjust in every sense.  Hopefully common sense will prevail.

Curtis and Sophie
x

Goodluck Mr. Red, you fully deserve to get your way on this one.

Our thoughts will be with you tmw.

The very very best of luck

Shelly&Pete

Good Luck Mr & Mrs Red

Good luck tomorrow Mr & Mrs Red, I truly hope everything works out for you :)

Don't beat me up on this one Tom.


I'd like to be the sort of friend that you have been to me;
I'd like to be the help that you've been always glad to be;
I'd like to mean as much to you each minute of the day
As you have meant, old friend of mine, to me along the way.
I'd like to do the big things and the splendid things for you,
To brush the gray from out your skies and leave them only blue;
I'd like to say the kindly things that I so oft have heard,
And feel that I could rouse your soul the way that mine you've stirred.
I'd like to give you back the joy that you have given me,
Yet that were wishing you a need I hope will never be;
I'd like to make you feel as rich as I, who travel on
Undaunted in the darkest hours with you to lean upon.
I'm wishing at this time that I could but repay
A portion of the gladness that you've strewn along my way;
And could I have one wish, this only would it be:
I'd like to be the sort of friend that you have been to me.

I must say first I don't know, nor have ever met Tom or the good Mrs Red, however despite still being a relative newbie to the forum, I can see the massive effect that Tom and his better half have on here, and I can well imagine it is exactly the same within the community that they live.

I will wish for you all the best of luck for the hearing tomorrow, and will be praying that by the time I get home, I see nothing but positive and thank god for common sense posts

All the best

Asa

Best of luck.

Until now, I've never truly understood what was happening with you and your family.  After reading this thread, I'm just stunned.  Everyone here at Blonde is behind you and no matter what happens tomorrow, we'll still be there.  If moral support is all you're willing to accept, well you can be sure it's there in abundance.  But if there's anything more we can do to help, PLEASE don't hesitate to let us know.  You're a good family who give A LOT to your local community and you're a very important part of the family called 'Blonde'.  'Family', regardless of your definition, stick together...please don't forget that.  Hugs to you and yours.  Will be thinking about you tomorrow and praying for a good result.

Good Luck Red Family

Tom, I'm a bit choked up reading your plea from the heart there. You deserve your place & I hope that you & Mrs Red get the peace to enjoy your place you deserve.

If it doesn't work I'll have a word with the farmer next to my folk's house - there's loads of room.

Thank you all for your support, it means more to us than you will ever know.


Maureen, OMG. Do you like making a grown man cry?


There has been a development. At the 11th hour a few of the villagers have formed a small support group and one brave soul has volunteered speak up for me (another 3 minutes) on their behalf.

There are still plenty of good people in the world.

Smoke us a kipper......

Thanks Rod, but I know loads of farmers who would gladly let me stay on their land, unfortunately the law won't allow it.

Tom, you already know how I feel about this, but I repeat I wish you well and hope you get all you want and deserve. Life is full of regulation and people are not allowed to be free to be themselves and it hurts.

btw, I have a month left on my place the I am off and I picked up the van today, the Merc is no more.

All the best for tomorrow Tom & Mrs Tom. Don't know you but I love your writing on here and I feel a certain affinity as I live just up the road in Desford. Your place sounds idyllic. It'd be nice to think that one day when this mess is settled for the COMMON good, I might get to take a peek.

 ;goodluck;

The very best of luck to you and your family tomorrow Tom.  I will pass this thread on to some people I know at Sky News because it is a shambolic indictment of the crazy small print obsessed country we live in.  Let live I say.

Des.

The very best of luck 2 u and ur family.

Thank you Des but I would rather you didn't. As far as the local authority are concerned, this is small potatoes, I would rather it stayed that way for the moment.

It might make all the difference. x

Sorry Tom, I should have asked first.  I had sent an email, but have withdrawn it.  If necessary, please do utilise whatever resources are available to you to ensure you win this case.

kind regards,

Des.

Good luck for tommorrow Tom , our thoughts will be with you.

Jeremy and Kerry

Thinking of you both. Good luck mate

What can I say............................just stay strong Tom.

Once again we have evidence that common sense is sadly lacking in this country - why look for problems where none exist?

Hopefully the news of the local support group and speaker is a sign that things will go your way, Tom.

All the best.

The very best of luck to you & your family Tom.

Hope common sense prevails.

Vince

You are both in my prayers.

I took my children to see Tom and family at the weekend and everything tikay says is true. A lovely place

From myself and the 3 kids Tom, very best of luck

I support that ... 'to thine own self be true' ...

When I read about this I really pity the small minded, up their arses, little pieces of something on my shoe, who have nothing better to do than make other honest people's life a misery whilst sipping their after dinner sherry.

I really feel for you and yours and sincerely hope that this turns out for the best and you emerge stronger than ever in your family unit. I believe good sense and legality will prevail here.

Maybe we should all speak for three minutes on Tom's behalf and bore the bastards to death......

Good luck, The Reds.  ;pokergods;

Hi Tom

I just want to add my best wishes for you and Mrs Red tomorrow , hopefully common sense and a symapthetic commitee will give the right result.

All the best

Simon

Best of luck Red.  Hope you'll be celebrating come 2moro.

Good luck xxxxxxxx

gl

I only read tikays first post and toms first reply but tom, we shall see if there is any justice in the courts. GL sir i have full respect for you!

Good Luck, hopefully some common sense will be shown.

Good luck guys

From all at Cardiff

sorry to hear of this sad news of what you are and your family are being put through mate,me and my family wish you all the very best with your ordeal.
we all hope that common sence prevails,i just hope when i look on here later i will see thank god wishes and well done tom and family,god bless you all and good luck.
i am sending you all my power to outdraw the big guns,and you know im pretty good at that best wishes james,mel,niall.

did you notice no.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,., coz this is serious.

(edit)
i wrote this before i took my son to school we are 2 hours ahead of you guys,and i tried to explain to him,he is 10,why this is happening and you know what his answer was tom ?
why dont they just leave him and his familly alone they are not hurting anyone,if anything he helps the people in  the comunity with his advice and tips on wildlife ect
and as he got out of the car and gave me a kiss,his last words were,i hope your mate dont have too move he sounds like a nice man.
good luck again mate.

I sincerely hope you get the result you want/deserve Tom!

Stories like this make my blood boil! Especially living in Cambridge, which is rife with "travellers" - I use the term loosely there as they are nothing but trouble, their sites are an eyesore, and as for them themselves - they think they are above the law - and most of the times they are! The police "seem" to not want to get involved with them, and I cant say I blame them tbh, its a very "mob orientated" outfit.

THESE are the people that NEED to be sorted out - NOT the likes or Mr and Mrs Red.

There, rant over.

Best wishes you two

Tom,
and wife of course, I sincerly wish and hope that whatever decisions are made today, that they go in your favour and the small minded idiots leave you alone for ever..!!

Cheers

Carl..

Just want to add my support and good luck to Mr & Mrs Red for the hearing later today.

 ;iagree;  same thing in Wood Green a few years back. Theft from local shops went through the roof, and it was blatently done as well. At first the police were called but after many many months it became apparent that nothing was being taken further that the shop owners just gave up reporting it to the police.

Mr and Mrs Red, my thoughts are with you both today. This is a singular form of 'bullying' IMO and one that shouldnt be allowed to be gotten away with!  All the best xx

Thanks Paul, I appreciate your support, but if you will indulge me I would like to take this opportunity to make a point.


I hate the term "These people" it's a sweeping statement that tars everyone, good and bad, with the same brush. I know some good decent Gypsy families who live in the Cambridge area who have no choice but to live on these big "Eyesore" sites.

If I were to move to Cambridge tomorrow, I would automatically be classed as one of "These people" just as I was when I first moved to where I am now.

We are all individuals. No one should be pre judged.

If a Gypsy steals a car, the headline in the paper reads
"Gypsies from Gorse Common steal car!"
If a house dweller steals a car the headline reads
Mr Brown from 21 New st steals car!"

The first headline implies that all of the Gypsies are guilty

The second headline implies that only Mr Brown is guilty.

As you say Tom everybody should be treated as an individual.  I know guy's from an estate near me that are racist, i know people that have criminal convictions, i would never say people from council estates are racist thieves, however it seems acceptable to do that when it comes to gypsies.

Really hope things go well for you.

GL

Thinking of you and Zelly Tom, good luck and lets hope your active role in your community makes the faceless beurocrats see sense.

good luck with it.

Sad thing is Paul has yet to meet any of the desent travellers who live in Cambridge .

Though i have lived in a house since i was 13 i have a gypsey background that i am very proud of , i dont shout it from the roof tops .

Its amasing when talking to people who have no idea about my background how shocked they are when they find out , trouble is most percentage of the younger travellers in Cambridge tend to be arrogant and think they are above the law and yes this could be said for many young people in this day and age.

What i am trying to say ( not very well ) is that there are many travellers in Cambridge who are wonderful people , just a shame that the arrogant little upstarts are the ones most people will see/hear about .

Paul hasn't met many if any of the older familys i grew up with , only  the younger generation .
We have had our fare share of trouble with them , threatening and actual vioelence towards our children , a group in a van scared my daughter to death when they curb crawled and used very abusive , sexual language .

Bundles into a phone box with her mate by a group of the lads who wouldnt let them out coz they wanted sexual favours ( bastards !! )

What i am saying is i am proud of my heritage and love to tell my children about it , they love hearing Grandads stories of his childhood , what i am not proud of are these arrogant people who think they can do what they want because of where they live and who they think they are , they make travellers look bad , not the people who suffer the abuse at there hands .

I pray Mr and Mrs Red are left to live happily on there piece of ground .

Reading back on my post , it sounds loads of drivel .

What i meant was i am very proud of my heritage and though i dont shout it from the roof tops i am not ashamed to tell people .

I am just sad that the younger generation in Chesterton , Cambridge are letting the travellers down , by there reckless and gang type behaviour and find it sad that all travellers are classed the same .

I wish you all the best. Having a place to call home and the security of your family around you is all I want in life, so my thoughts are with you.

Thoughts with you guys, hope the outcome is positive!!

Don't let the bureaucrats grind you down. It's laughable how the system is set up. I've had several occassions been allowed a 3 minute pitch for a proposed development yet had to listen to hours of crap counter agruements.

Stand upto the system and more often than not your get there. It's just a shame that the journey is such a pain in the arse.

Tom and Muzelley have been in my thought a lot in the last couple of weeks especially.

Let's hope all the positive vibes help create a positive outcome for a couple who truly deserve one for so many reasons.

I don't really know what to say, the whole thing seems so ridiculous really.

Best of luck to you both and let's hope that common sense prevails!

best of luck mr and mrs red  :)up

im slightly lost with all this especially the spill the council talk.

may i just ask a couple of questions?

tom do you own the land you currently live on?

and tikay say's that you dispose of your own rubbish as you dont pay council tax and dont use the refuse collectors may i ask where do u dispose of it?

these questions are in no way a knock at mr and mrs red and/or a knock at gypsy life im just curious to the answer to both.

thanks

or that all car thieves live at 21?

car thieves all live at no 21 though

obv

Bit early, but any news?

fingers crossed

Of course with 21 being the key to the door nearly all thieves can be found at 21.........especially as I live at 23

Tom

You're absolutely right.

Apologies - no offence intended

it does explain why you have a personalised number plate but no car

Actually the couple at 21 are seventy year old nudists whose back garden is something out of the good life.....takes all sorts

I guess no one's heard yet then?  Makes the waiting for the DTD news seem somewhat irrelevant in the scheme of things.

6.25pm - I spoke to Tom just before the Hearing, but I've heard nothing since.

That's not necessarily a bad sign, it may be something that goes on a while.

It's a very worrying few hours though. I do so hope it goes well.

In answer to a question I saw earlier, I forget from whom, yes, Tom owns the Land upon which he currently lives, & indeed the adjacent fields.

yeah unfortunately in this day and age that doesn't count for a hell of a lot anymore when it comes to dealing with the council and the environmental agency.

The  council would be more upset if they booted them off and they sold it to a property developer surely?    They're adding so much to the environment having it as it is it would be ludicrous to change things.

They'd get back-handers from developers - that'd mean more to them.

Just a quick clarification.

Tom owns the Land upon which he lives, lock stock & barrel.

The problem is with the Planners.

There are NO permanent buildings or structrures in Tom's field, & never will be  - just 2 Caravans, one in the centre, one by a hedgerow, both smart & modern, & two converted beautiful wooden railway wagons which are used as garden sheds.

They'll probably start chasing him for 7 years back dated council task if he wins.

They granted us 3 years temporary permission. More later, too emotional to post.


Thank you all so much for your tremendous support.

XX

Im sorry you didnt get the full permission Mr and Mrs Red.  Still a small victory though?

Congrats Tom.

From small acorns do mighty oaks grow.

OK, you've won the battle but the war goes on. 

I hate bloody councils.

Youve got through level one , blinds going up , short stacked , but remember

your skills...patience and discipline ( and your sense of humour )

Long road ahead but know you can grind a result.

All the best to you , Mrs Red and family.

So there was a little light but not enough for them to see sense..

well thats b*ll*cks then!

he should be able to live how he likes on his own land!

Sounds like not the best result but by no means miles away from the worst decision..!!  Glad to hear was pretty good news...

We kept the Dog Wardens name in your honour..!!

Well, that's a result Mr Red. Congratulations!

just to clarify as to why I am just outright saying Congrats...this was without a doubt the best result that could realistically happen..it also does open the way up for something more permanent if the Environmental agency can see that the floodrisk isn't as great as what they claim it is in a few years time.

Congratulations Tom :)

3 years is 3 years , congrats Tom and family and hopefully when these 3 years are up they will realise you have a right to live on the land you own  :)

what country have you lived in lately mate?..You can't even smoke in your own car anymore...hell, if there are 2 colleagues who both smoke in a work car the government won't even have the passenger smoke even though the other guy in the car doesn't mind!

Keep the faith and the enthusiasm and eventually you will succeed --

As for the council pratts they are bloody bureaucratic jumped up little pieces of camel dung - jobsworth, BDMF's

I suppose a little victory is a step in the right direction but it makes my blood boil.

Congratulations on the 3 years, it gives you some breathing space at least.  Hopefully the 3 years will be enough time for them to see sense and grant you permanent permission.

Great news....from how Tony describes your place Tom, I'd be describing this result as another twelve seasons  ;)

Doesn't this result mean you have to go thru' the same bollocks 3 years from now?

Do they expect you to be humble and thankful?

Over the moon for you!!

Common sense has sort of prevailed. Breathe a sight of relief now, and hopefully have a good nights sleep without having to worry about it.

If I bought myself a nice field in the green belt maybe in the lake district and built myself a nice cottage without planning permission would this be good ? 

interesting take on the situation

You obviously missed this:

I have just read through this thread with tears in my eyes.

I have never met Tom or his family, but I have chatted to him a few times whilst playing online (albeit only shortly as i am always knocked out way before him).

Tom has always come across as a genuine. courteous guy, with time for EVERYONE, I dont remember seeing him have a bad word for anybody, just encouragement for their play and answering their questions and thanking them for their good wishes in a tournament without hesitation.

Since reading his posts on Blonde (especially his tales of life) I feel I have got to know hom as a "friend" and although 3 years temporary stay is not the result you wanted Tom, it is better than nothing, i'm assuming.

I wish you and your family all the best for the future.

To one of the nicest people I have NEVER MET

From

Taximan

Thanks guys!

You wouldn't be allowed to stay without planning permission, neither am I.

But, if you want to invest all of your savings and over 10 years of your life in a retrospective planning application, with absolutely no guarantee of success, you are of course welcome to try.

Your chances will be better if you only want to live in a caravan instead of a nice cottage, and they will be further enhanced if you can prove that you have lived in a caravan all of your life, as did your ancestors for the previous 600 years.

You will then have to prove that you have a cultural aversion to living in bricks and mortar, that your traditional stopping places are no longer viable, and that you have explored every other possible avenue to find somewhere suitable to site your caravans.

After that, all you have to do is convince a suspicious and prejudiced community that you won't steal their children or lower their property values. Then, if you can get to know everyone in your neighborhood, and change their perception of you at a time when the media is running a smear campaign against you, well, with a lot of luck and the support of genuinely good people, you will have, (according to the most recent statistics) a 97% chance of failure.



Whatever happens, I will never be allowed to build anything on this land, nor would I want to.

Well, we were given a 3 year temporary permission.

Before the hearing, this was the outcome I was dreading the most. The thought of another 3 years of worry and uncertainty filled me with dread, but then an amazing thing happened. Local people from my village stood up and spoke in my defence, and the planning officer in charge of my case said that my place was a model of how a small private Gypsy site should be run. Councillors on the planning committie, be they for or against, debated their decision in a fair and reasonable manner. It made Mrs Red and I very emotional.

This is the first time we have ever had a fair crack of the whip, I don't know what will happen in 3 years time, but some of my faith has been restored, I can't be disappointed.

my thoughts are with you and your family red


I had no idea you were going through this


I cant understand why when you own your own land,they are taking this stance....I'm really not getting it at all?

Is it because of the floodplains? supposedly?


Why dont they go along to that anchor michael wotshisface ( the chav ),that won the lotto,who moved to a lovely, leafy town then proceeded to turn his backyard into a demolition derby...


Why cant they leave the good people alone...sometimes..no...a lot of the times this country's antiquated laws do my nut right in

Did they give an indication on what may happen in 3 years or if the 3 years is like a review period or something like that? 

Fantastic with the village turning up and supporting you, if the council needed convincing, it couldn't be better than from the locals themselves.

Hope it's a bit of relief for you.

No, you can't be disappointed ... no one knows what will happen in the next minute ... stay with the positive ... with the wonderful people around you and with the positive strength within you ..... and you will succeed ...

Stay strong, you are beautiful people ..... 'to thine own self be true'.

I recall watching "homes under the hammer" where one guy purchased land and they discussed his future plans and the issues re: the difficulty about getting planning permission for a building development. The new land owner then talked about using the land occasionally and visiting in a caravan and that as it wasn't a permanent fixture that planning permission was not an issue. This may be why the local authority have said that they can no longer find grounds to object to the planning application. Is planning permission even necessary???. The only difference I can see is that Tom's is a permanent sighting whereas as above theirs isn't. Not sure if this changes the rules or not but suspect not hence the planning authorities withdrawal.

The requested involvement of the environment agency gives the impression that they are concerned on other matters, such as prejudice. Local and council objections are likely based on the perception of what may happen in the future as they worry that the site could become a large scale travellers sight. Can the environment agency really stop someone from sighting a carvan (or two) on there own land due to it being on a potential floodplain. It's not stopped them from council and property developers building on known floodplans.

The delay tactics have a nasty racist undertone to me and a way of stopping a "what if" scenario that they fear their lovely community potentially being overrun by travellers. This is suggested by the comment "the planning officer in charge of my case said that my place was a model of how a small private Gypsy site should be run". A somewhat back handed compliment which suggests this is what they are focusing on. It's fine small but what if, etc, etc.

The fact you have been part of that community for so long and you have the support of many of the local community to me will, in the longterm see you succeed.

Shame that the bureaucrats employ such delay tactics because it's Tom and his family who are the only ones to suffer from such a tactic. However I would regard this as an opportunity to strengthen your case as being established member of the community and having local support.
 

Shame - my neighbour has some children that i would like to see disappear. If you could find you way to stopping in my garden for a few days....... ::)

good luck tom,
hopefully a case of 'a glass half full'

Glad to hear you were supported by the village Tom. Hopefully in 3 years they will see sense.

guys?

It seems you interpreted that as my supporting the question, i don't.

I'm absolutely delighted for Tom & Mrs Red, as realistically, this was the best they could hope for, even though, initially, they dreaded this result.

I think he's almost home & hosed now. In 2010, when it comes up again, they'll have the option of evicting someone who has co-existed peacefully & happily with the village for over 10 years. A tough one upon which to rule "Evict".

Yes it seems like a good result as in three years your hand can only be even stronger.

Heartwarming too to hear of your support from some clearly fair minded locals. Good for them!

Really pleased for you Red, and Mrs Red too of course!.    ;sexybanana;

i think you should be over the moon with this tom,it could have allways gone the other way,keep your chin up and think positive.
i hate the saying "small acorns + stuff"but it is true
good luck to you and all your familly,james,mel,niall x