Traders curse gipsy site!

Patrick Young (pictured) lives just up the road from the proposed site on Nelson Street (next to the baptist church) and did his best to allay the fears of nearby home owners and shopkeepers.

He said: "There would only be eight vans. Originally we wanted 25 but there's not space. I want it in the town centre because it would be for widows and possibly disabled people. Our race of people end up travelling the length of the country and become a burden to their families. It's those people who I would want this for. They would need to be in the centre of town so they could keep their independence.

"I want to do it for my people. I'm not trying to rip any body off or anything like that."

Mr Young understood why locals may be worried about his plans but explained: "I think it's just a lack of understanding on their part."

But home owners and shop keepers were still concerned at the planning application.

A leading member of Lancaster Traders' Association was shocked when to hear the news and contacted The Citizen to say: "If they want to put the final nail in the coffin of Lancaster then accepting this application would do it. It really is beyond belief."

Nearby residents were also up in arms about the application.

"One occupier of the Swan Yard flats adjacent to the site on Nelson Street, said: "We're organising opposition to this. We're hoping to get other people who are annoyed about this to do something as well.

"We've some time to send in our objections. We think it could cause trouble in the area and undervalue our property and it could be a real eyesore.

"I can't see this being passed and all I can say is it had better not.

"The application doesn't actually make sense but we have to go through the motions. The more objections we get the better.

"Everybody I've spoken to is absolutely against this."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.