U-turn over caravan at Walton Highway gypsy and traveller site as councillors are now being asked to grant approval

It appeared to be a thorn in the side of officials for several years and led to enforcers demanding it was removed.

But now West Norfolk Council appears to have made a U-turn over a solitary caravan in the rural Fens and has said it should stay despite being put there without permission.

The gypsy and traveller site in Common Road South, Walton Highway, has been the focus of a planning dispute since before 2022, when permission for the static caravan was refused.

The council decided to take enforcement action, requiring it to be removed.

However, since then the authority has been told it needs to find more places that can serve as gypsy and traveller sites in the borough in order to fulfil its housing obligations.

It has decided to look at granting permission for unauthorised pitches to tackle the lack of spaces.

In a report to councillors, a West Norfolk Council planning officer said it would now be “unreasonable” to continue with the enforcement action and it has therefore been closed.

And now a fresh application to allow the caravan to remain there has been recommended for approval, with members to make a decision at Monday’s planning committee meeting.

However, there have been objections from neighbours.

People have complained that the council will have a lack of control over who occupies the site, which could be sold to people who are not local residents or gypsies and travellers.

A local group of concerned villagers has been formed, which has said the enforcement notice should be complied with.

They also worry the site could affect house prices and say there has been fly-tipping spotted nearby.

But the owners say granting permission will provide much-needed accommodation for a local gypsy/traveller family.