A FORMER builders’ yard in Haddenham at the centre of a long-running planning saga has taken a fresh turn, with the planning inspector called in to rule on the plans.

The Hod Hall Lane yard has already been the subject of three failed planning applications in recent years, the latest back in March, but determined developers have appealed to the Planning Inspectorate to seek approval to turn the land into a traveller’s site housing three pitches and offices.

The appeal has been lodged by Mr M Ruszkiewicz, who was also refused permission to utilise the site in 2008 and 2009 because council planners said there were would be too many pitches on the site.

Mr Ruszkiewicz is seeking permission for a family pitch to provide accommodation for himself, his wife, his two adult children and their partners.

His nephew already lives on an authorised site at Hod Hall Lane and the gypsy/traveller status of the family has previously been accepted by East Cambridgeshire District Council

When plans were submitted again in March, the district council received more than 40 letters of objection from Haddenham residents, with the parish council and district councillors also raising serious concerns about access, drainage and flooding.

SE Cambs MP James Paice added: “Having visited the site in the past it is clear that the land behind Lode Way clearly suffers from drainage problems and the dyke running through the land is not functioning.”

According to the district council, the authority will be required to provide an additional 38 pitches for the gypsies and travelling showpeople over the next 20 years, with 157 pitches already available across the district.

Anyone wishing to comment on the appeal has until September 25. The appeal can be viewed at www.planning-inspectorate.gov.uk.