Plans for a permanent home for members of the travelling community on Romney Marsh have been refused.

A family submitted an application to the council to create four pitches, each containing a mobile home and a touring caravan, next to the A259 in Old Romney.

The application was in part retrospective, as some homes have already been put on site, which is privately owned.

The planning application stated the site would be occupied by members of the same family, including children and babies.

It advised that, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, people have been "stopped from moving around and living at the roadside is now almost impossible".

As such, there is a need for a "settled base as opposed to the alternative of a roadside existence".

The literature also noted that the "women on the site have been left in extreme conditions through no fault of their own" and they "cannot be expected to live by the roadside with children" as it would "have a negative and long lasting detrimental impact on the family".

The application also said the council had an obligation to meet the need for gypsy and traveller accommodation in the borough.

Neighbours had objected, with one calling the site unsuitable due to its proximity to the "very busy and fast" A259.

The comment read: "The location is unsuitable as the proposed site is directly adjacent to a very busy and fast road in an exposed position, indeed two of the caravans onsite were overturned and smashed by strong winds that are common across this area of the Marsh.

"Fortunately the site had been vacated by then."

A second neighbour said: "If this goes ahead this would destroy the natural beauty of Old Romney."

"The proposals would consolidate the sporadic development in the area, causing significant harm to the largely undeveloped appurtenance of this isolated rural location."

The application was not considered by councillors sitting on Folkestone and Hythe District Council's planning committee, but was instead decided by officers.

A report by an officer recommended the application be refused as it would cause "significant harm" to the appearance of the area.

The report reads: "The residential use of the land, the siting of the mobile homes/caravans, the laying of hardcore, the erection of the fencing and the alterations to the access would formalise the appearance of this previously undeveloped site and substantially and harmfully change its character, resulting in a detrimental impact on the visual amenities of the area and the character and appearance of the countryside.

"The proposals would consolidate the sporadic development in the area, causing significant harm to the largely undeveloped appurtenance of this isolated rural location."

A similar application for another parcel of land along the A259 was approved in 2020.

This was for five static homes, a community hall and access road.

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