Waltham St Lawrence public inquiry - reminder to residents

The Royal Borough is urging interested residents to attend next week's public inquiry into the unauthorised travellers' site at Shurlock Road in Waltham St Lawrence.

The inquiry - scheduled to last for four days - starts on Tuesday 2 November in the Town Hall, St Ives Road, Maidenhead from 10am to 5pm.

Residents who wish to speak at the inquiry should attend on the first day and register their interest. The inquiry inspector has also agreed to hold a special evening session on Thursday 4 November at 7.30pm at Neville Hall in Waltham St Lawrence for anyone unable to attend during the day.

The public inquiry was scheduled after the council served a High Court injunction and an enforcement notice on the unauthorised encampment on Christmas Eve last year after 10 caravans moved onto the site in Shurlock Road.

The notice required the site to be cleared of the caravans and a large area of hardsurfaced land but was appealed by the appellant Mr Mark Pickett.

The original inquiry date of 27 July was postponed due to the serious illness of the appellant's agent. The council - supported by local ward councillors - subsequently wrote to the Planning Inspectorate pressing for a new date to be set as soon as possible.

Cllr Alison Knight, lead member for planning and environment, said this week: "There has been a huge amount of public interest in this issue and many local residents were naturally angry and frustrated at the postponement of the hearing in the summer.

"The council wrote on their behalf to the Planning Inspectorate in the strongest terms pressing for a new date to be set as soon as possible. We are delighted that the time has at last come to have residents' voices heard and settle this matter once and for all.

"So we are urging residents to attend the inquiry and make their views known to the inspector next week."

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