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Daily Mail
24 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Villagers whose country idyll was 'destroyed' by traveller site overnight furious after family submits retrospective permission to make site permanent and some are even considering moving
A luxurious property has gone on the market just weeks after an illegal travellers' site appeared on its doorstep. The stunning four-bedroom detached bungalow – priced at offers around £950,000 – is less than 150 yards from the caravan park, which is built on green belt land and without planning permission. Set in 3.5 acres of rural land, the high-specification property includes stables and a hot tub area, perfect for entertaining friends. Estate agents Stapleton Derby described the home as: 'Set within a peaceful rural location and offering superb access to all major motorway connections. 'This absolutely stunning, newly built four-bedroom detached bungalow presents a rare opportunity to acquire a luxurious home with its own equestrian facilities and expansive land. 'Designed with elegance and practicality in mind, the property is a true sanctuary, combining high-end finishes with thoughtful architectural detail. 'Externally, the front of the property welcomes you with a charming courtyard and ample parking for multiple vehicles. 'To the rear, a private oasis awaits, featuring patios, a hot tub, decking with seating areas, an Astro turf lawn, and a large pergola with its own bar and social space —perfect for entertaining or unwinding in style.' The current owners made the decision to sell as villagers fear the caravan camp, which sprung up in May – will knock hundreds of thousands of pounds off property prices. Rex Bennett, 78, said: 'Judging from past experiences of travellers' sites appearing close by, house prices will definitely fall. 'I've lived here nearly 40 years, and it's happened before when travellers' site spring up. 'The value of people's houses will fall and the owners lose money. 'Whether the reasons are justified or not, no one would choose to live near a caravan site.' He added: 'I haven't heard of anyone having trouble with the travellers but that doesn't make what they have done right. 'They have been very clever about how they have gone about building it. 'Turning up on a Bank Holiday weekend, knowing full well they wouldn't be stopped. 'It was very well thought out.' Stephen Holgate, 55, said: 'I don't have a problem with the site but then again, I don't have to live next to it. 'I'm not sure how I'd feel if they were my neighbours.' The travellers tore up the protected six-acre greenbelt plot, in Burtonwood, Cheshire, in just 72 hours – covering it in hardstanding and erecting a 10ft perimeter fence. The site located between Tan House Lane and Farmer's Lane was lit up like 'Blackpool Illuminations' at night according to one neighbour. Warrington Borough Council said it was aware of the 'potential breach of planning control' and vowed to 'take strong enforcement action within the legal framework.' A retrospective application has been submitted seeking full planning permission for a change of use of land associated with Tan House Farm. The documents state the change of use is for a gypsy and traveller residential site, with four pitches and associated landscaping, and the installation of a farm gate to a footpath on the corner of Tan House Lane and Farmers Lane. Applicant John Varey said the pitches can accommodate a mix of 16 caravans and mobile homes, occupied by Romani gypsies. The report added: 'All of the proposed occupants grew up in nomadic families and have continued to follow that way of life. The families travel in caravans for work and to attend fairs. 'The site is in the greenbelt, however, the land represents 'grey belt', and on that basis, the development is not necessarily inappropriate within the green belt.' Planning documents continued: 'The proposed site provides four gypsy and traveller pitches which are safe, well-designed, and ensure that the site will be private and provide a favourable living environment. 'The proposals include substantial planting and screening, which will result in an on-site biodiversity net gain 'The site will be well screened and capable of integrating with the area, which is characterised by farmland and some other pockets of residential development. 'The site is already connected to water, and connection to the electricity grid is proposed and achievable. 'The package treatment plant and welfare units facilitate the effective management of foul waste. 'The entire site remains permeable, ensuring that surface water will soak away, and the site is well drained with a ditch along the northern boundary. 'Given the families' lack of alternative accommodation, their living standards have been greatly improved since moving onto the application site.' Villagers have already expressed concerns that a metal gate has been installed on a public right-of-way. The planning document read: 'The metal gate is 3.6m, and a 1.2m gap is left to the right-hand side for pedestrians which enables continued access to the public right of way. 'The road is owned by the applicant and the gate is locked with a padlock. For reasons relating to fly-tipping and security, we would argue that the gate should be approved as part of the planning application.' The council has been inundated with objections by villagers. One objector wrote: 'The land has been destroyed without any planning permission, our greenbelt completely vandalised with absolutely no regard to the rules or residents. 'It is absolutely disgusting that this has been allowed to happen.' Another said: 'The site has damaged the natural beauty of the area and transformed once green belt land into a caravan park. 'Not only this, but a footpath has been obstructed with little to no consideration for anyone who plans to use this regularly used route. 'Failure to reject this planning application will only lead to further exploitation of the system in similar ways around the area, which will seriously damage an area of considerable natural beauty and wildlife.' But one letter of support read: 'I have spoken with some of the people on the caravan park at the village café. 'They were polite, friendly, and explained the situation of Warrington having no caravan sites for them to live on. I am happy with them being there. It is better than them on our parks.' The council is expected to reach a decision on the retrospective planning application later in the year.
Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
Concrete sales plunge to 62-year low as hopes for Labour's building boom fade
Demand for concrete has fallen to its lowest level since 1963 in a serious blow to Labour's hopes of building more houses. Sales of ready-mixed concrete fell by 11.5pc in the three months to June against the previous three months, according to data from the Mineral Products Association (MPA), which represents producers. The product is widely-used in housebuilding to lay foundations, and provide the base for flooring and driveways. The figures suggest that Labour will miss its target of building 1.5m new homes by the end of this Parliament 'by a significant margin', the MPA said. Concrete sales have fallen by a third in 10 years, and more than halved over the last 20 years. The drop means that annual sales have not been this low since 1963 – before the nationwide housing and infrastructure building boom that transformed Britain. The MPA said that sales of other building materials, such as mortar and sand, also fell, with demand for most products at 'historically low levels'.
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Eurobank to distribute interim dividend after strong first half
ATHENS, July 31 (Reuters) - Greek lender Eurobank ( opens new tab, the country's largest by market capitalisation, said on Thursday that it will distribute an interim dividend of 170 million euros after announcing a strong profit for the first half of the year. The bank reported adjusted net earnings for the January-June period of 711 million euros ($812.96 million), slightly down from a record profit of 732 million euros a year earlier. Chief Executive Fokion Karavias told analysts on a call that profit was "progressing according to our expectations". "For the full year 2025 we have been committed to at least a 50% payout ratio... meaning that this may be higher than 50%," Karavias said, pointing to stronger than expected loan growth. Greek banks are returning to profit after they were nationalised following a financial meltdown in late 2009 amid the country's debt crisis, requiring several capital injections from the government. They were fully privatised last year. The European Central Bank (ECB) has approved requests by Greece's four largest lenders to resume dividend payments for 2024 after 16 years, a further sign of the sector's recovery and the country's economic rebound. Eurobank, which also operates in Bulgaria and Cyprus, said in a statement that its net interest income rose 12% year-on-year to 1.27 billion euros while its non-performing loan exposure (NPE) ratio fell to 2.8% from 3.1% a year earlier. Net fees jumped 29% to 364 million euros, mainly boosted by network activities and its wealth management business. ($1 = 0.8746 euros)
