Thundersley traveller family want to integrate into the community (From Echo)

Thundersley traveller family want to integrate into the community

8:40am Wednesday 17th October 2012 in Local News By Melissa Hills

A REPRESENTATIVE for traveller families has said they just want to integrate into the local community in Thundersley.

Alison Heine, who has worked as a planning consultant for traveller families for ten years, is working on behalf of the McCarthy family who have applied for permission for three residential plots of land at Janda Fields off Fane Road.

The McCarthy family who are living on the site have also applied to Castle Point Council for permission for three storage pitches.
She said: “This is a good site for a traveller family, they have got everything they need. No site is perfect but they are not causing anyone any trouble.
“I did advise them not to pull on the site before they got planning permission but they were very anxious to get their children enrolled into local schools.
“I don’t know a parent who wouldn’t do the same thing and they want to make sure their children are integrated into the local community as much as possible.
“The planning application says it all and they are just applying for permission for three residential and three more storage pitches. They are not going to be expanding and they are not doing anyone any harm.
“It’s very sad that local people are getting annoyed about it- this family just want to get on with their lives like anyone and they have done a lot to improve the site.”
The planning application for the site is expected to be heard by Castle Point councillors in early December.