Decision details

This is a decision to change the use of land at Seven Brethren by Appropriation from Waste Land to a Long Stay Car Park, Traveller Site and Wildlife Corridor in accordance to the attached plan.
The land was originally purchased for a waste site, but has never been used as such and it has become overgrown. The land is subject to regular unauthorised uses, such as bonfires, rough sleeping and drug abuse.
The land is not needed as waste ground. DCC have a lease of the adjacent land required for the Civic Amenity Site and the playing fields are now complete therefore this land is surplus.
The decision will create additional parking, a traveller site as well as maintaining the ecological benefit of the land with a wildlife corridor. The current footpath/link through the site will also remain.

Change the use of land at Seven Brethren by Appropriation from Waste Land to a Long Stay Car Park, Traveller Site and Wildlife Corridor in accordance to the attached plan under Section 122 of the Local Government Act 1972.

Option 1 - Do nothing.
The land is frequently subjected to unpermitted use such as bonfires, rough sleeping and drug abuse resulting in an unsafe environment and this would therefore continue if we did nothing.
Option 2 - Tidy up the Waste Ground
The issues from Option 1 would continue.
Option 3 - Create the long stay car park, traveller site and wildlife corridor.
This provides more parking for the town and the new leisure centre, a traveller site and helps maintain the ecological benefit of the site with the wildlife corridor.