Plans have been resubmitted for a change of use from pasture to stationing caravans for gypsy-traveller families just outside a village near Grantham.

Messrs Stuart Gray and Ashley Smith seek the change of use at Fourways, Bulby Lane, Fulbeck.

The proposed site would be for residential use for two gypsy-traveller families, with associated hardstanding, waste treatment plant, utility building and drainage works.

The application to South Kesteven District Council is part retrospective, with the existing use of the site described as "paddock with unauthorised caravan site."

It continued: "This is a resubmission of an application dismissed on appeal on 7th December 2020."

The application says the latest plan features three significant changes to that that was refused.

It is now for two residential units, instead of four, and changes have been made to tackle surface water drainage issues and waste water drainage issues.

The appeal dismissal noted objections to the earlier scheme concerning poor access to the site on the edge of the village and flooding risks.

The application said the new scheme, which is half the size of the previous one, would address concerns raised by the planning inspector, including impact on neighbouring properties.

It said: "There is an overriding need for more Gypsy Traveller pitches. The Council has made no progress addressing this since the Local Plan Examination. There is no 5 year supply . This is a significant material consideration especially when considering a temporary permission and a the failure of the Council to allocate alternative pitches."

"The Council conceded that it could take a further 5 years to allocate

and deliver alternative sites. The application said the two pitches would be for Mr Stuart Gray, his wife and two young children who were previously stopping on a small plot on the council site at Grantham, and Mr Ashley Smith, his wife and two young

children who were homeless and living on the roadside. "

The application added: "The appeal decision concluded that other issues raised by the Council/ third parties were over stated and did not justify refusal.

"Given the failure of policy to address the need for more Traveller sites, substantial weight must be given to the absence of a 5 year supply and historic policy failure to allocate sites and best interests of the 5 young children living on this land.

"Consent is sought on a permanent basis but in the alternative the Applicants would accept a temporary permission until such time as a Local Plan with site allocations for Travellers is adopted.

"This would limit the harm identified whilst providing the applicant with somewhere to live until South Kesteven has fulfilled its obligations and found suitable sites for Travellers."