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Gypsies reprieved
A GYPSY family has won a three-year reprieve to stay on land it owns in a Northumberland village, after a planning battle with local residents and council chiefs.
Alnwick District Council agreed on Tuesday to allow Kathleen and Terrance Lowther to remain temporarily on the site at Heatherleazes, on the outskirts of Warkworth.
The couple moved there in 2007, when their former site at Carlisle closed down.
But their problems were further compounded because their daughter Lisa Anne, who was 23 at the time, was undergoing intensive therapy for cancer at Newcastle, and they needed to be closer to her.
They initially sited three caravans on the land, which has been in Mrs Lowther's family, the Ornsbys, for more than 100 years and was formerly owned by her uncle who lived locally.
But the family faced furious objections from neighbours and plans to change formally the use of the site were refused in June 2007.
They were served a notice to quit in December, but both the planning decision and the notice to quit were overturned on appeal in August last year.
Speaking after this week's decision, Mrs Lowther — whose grandparents are buried in Warkworth — said: "It has been very hard, and we're relieved we can stay.
"We don't bother anyone, we just want to get on with our own lives in peace."
Mr Lowther, who is disabled, added: "You would think people would be more understanding in this day and age. Life is terrible when you even have just one or two people who don't like travellers."
Lisa Anne, whose cancer is now in remission, said: "All we're asking is for people to respect us and our way of life."
Under the conditions of the approval, the Lowthers are permitted two caravans on the site, which are to be moved away from houses, with parking for one van.
Warkworth's district and county councillor, Jeff Watson, said: "Local residents are as adamant as ever that this site should not have been allowed, but have accepted that it is only a temporary permission.
"They look forward to the end of the three-year permission and the site reverting back to open countryside."
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Weather for Northumberland
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 8 C to 14 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: North east
