PLANS have been put forward to create a new Traveller site next to a caravan rental business in Flintshire amid claims of a shortage of pitches in the county.

An application has been lodged by Patrick Berry for members of his family to live on land next to Nationwide Caravan Rental Services in Tanlan, near Ffynnongroyw.

It would see two static homes, two trailer caravans and one day room located at the 850 square metre site on the Coast Road.

A planning agent acting on the family’s behalf claimed Flintshire Council had failed to address the demand for Gypsy and Traveller sites in the area.

In documents submitted to the local authority, Mike Carr said: “The proposed use of the site is for use as a family traveller site, which in effect is a residential development.

“A Gypsy Traveller Accommodation Needs Assessment (GTANA) was commissioned by five of the six north Wales local authorities excluding Wrexham County Borough Council in 2013.

“The GTANA sought to establish the site and pitch needs for the Gypsy and Traveller community in the period up to 2016 and established that a projection of required growth in pitch numbers in Flintshire was 36 at that time, although this figure must be subject to considerable doubt given the numbers of Gypsy families who do not take part in this sort of assessment.

“Overall, from a simple assessment of the last GTANA and the numbers of planning applications for families seeking sites are taken into account, it is clear that there is recognised shortfall in the borough.”

He added: “At present, the Flintshire planning framework indicates that there is a substantial unmet need and that there has been a failure in policy towards planning for and identifying site from gypsy and traveller people.

“Approving this planning application would go some way to meeting that deficiency.”

The application follows a separate submission for a Gypsy and Traveller site a short distance along the same road.

Comments are currently being invited on the latest set of proposals via the council’s website.

Planners are aiming to decide on the scheme by mid-January.