£840,000 Grant for Derriton Site

Torridge District Council has been awarded a grant of £840,000 to develop a site at Derriton, on the outskirts of Holsworthy, for a Gypsy and Traveller site. This site will provide seven much needed pitches for the gypsy and travelling community.

As a result of the 2009/2010 Homes and Communities Agency bidding round, Torridge Council’s bid for funds has resulted in a grant of £840,000 to develop a site at Derriton, on the outskirts of Holsworthy, for a Gypsy and Traveller site. This site will provide seven much needed pitches for the gypsy and travelling community.

The working group at the council, which includes local representatives, met on Friday morning having been advised of their successful bid on Thursday. The next stage for the working group will be to look at the grant in detail, including the 90 page contract, to establish whether or not it would be appropriate to move on to the next stage of the process.

The Council have now had communication with many of the local residents in and around the Derriton area, explaining this process. £840,000, is a substantial grant and Torridge District Council will now be scrutinising the process further to ensure that there are no hidden costs that will burden Torridge Tax Payers in the future.

Gaye Tabor, Chair of Community Development, said: "We are very aware of the views of local people surrounding the proposed site. However, we do have an obligation to provide a number of suitable pitches throughout the district for the travelling community. We are continuing to consult with local residents to ensure that we keep everyone fully informed throughout every aspect of the process."

More information about Gypsy and Traveller site grants can be found on the HCA website at: http://www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/gypsies_travellers