Cheshire East is to sell off land it owns in Crewe, so it can be used for a permanent residential Gypsy and Traveller site.

The site, located at the junction of Parkers Road and Kents Lane, Coppenhall Moss, was allocated in the council's site allocations and development policies document (SADPD) for seven permanent Gypsy and Traveller pitches.

This September, councillors decided to go ahead with a conditional sale of the site.

The site is at the junction of Parkers Road and Kents Lane at Coppenhall Moss (Google).

The need for adequate pitches was established through the Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment which identified a requirement for five to 10 transit pitches – a transit site is currently being developed in Middlewich to meet this need; 32 permanent pitches for Gypsies and Travellers and five plots for travelling show people.

The Crewe site will still have to go through the usual planning processes once it is sold off.

Head of housing Karen Carsberg told the economy and growth committee: "Undertaking a conditional sale [of the Coppenhall Moss land] would be the quickest route to development and would enable the council to determine the end use for the site without undertaking a resource-intensive procurement exercise or having to borrow capital funding to enable development.

"The sale of the site would demonstrate that the site is deliverable and reduce the risk of other sites being brought forward through the planning process which are not currently allocated sites."

Cllr Janet Clowes (Wybunbury, Conservative), said, when the council is preparing local plans, Gypsy and Traveller sites always raise local interest.

Wybunbury Conservative councillor, Janet Clowes (CEC).

"I think it's really important that, as we start delivering these sites, we are very clear about them, very clear about why they're needed, and we do actually offer that respect and recognition of the need for these sites for this particular group of people," she said.

"It's really important they are in the right place, they are actually meeting the needs of the travelling community, but where we do have sites available, we do try and progress them as quickly as possible."

READ MORE: Growing retailer eyes up move to Crewe shopping centre.

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