Sheffield Council plans to build Traveller site on spare land near Crystal Peaks retail park

The five hectares of land off Eckington Way, near to Crystal Peak’s shopping hub and west of a number of Beighton neighbourhoods, has been earmarked as a space for Gypsy and Traveller vehicles. The refit would see gas pipes installed on site as part of a council target to provide 44 new ‘pitches’ for Traveller households and their vehicles by 2024.

The site – which would be the city’s third in addition to two provisions in Halfway and Lodge Moore – has been set out in Sheffield City Council’s Local Plan, a large scale consultation on how it means to develop spare lots of land across the city.

None of Beighton’s three councillors – Ann Woolhouse, Bob McCann and Kurtis Crossland – responded to The Star’s request for comment on the plans and whether they would support them.

To view the Local Plan and lodge your feedback with the council, visit the ‘Have Your Say Sheffield’ webpage here.

Meanwhile, a petition launched by Beighton residents to oppose the site has gathered over 500 signatures in 24 hours. Supporters on community Facebook pages have dismissed the plans as “the last thing we need,” while more constructive criticism claims Eckington Way and the local area is already struggling with traffic.

A post was made on the Beighton Community Forum Facebook group to share the petition. One resident wrote: ”Where would you like them to go? You don't want it but someone else can have it. There are good Travellers and there are Travellers that are bad. So do we tar everyone of them as the same? If that's the case everyone living in houses are the same.”

Another resident replied: “Nothing against Travellers and the councillors need to figure out solutions for them - but that road can’t take more traffic and having slap bang between a thriving retail park and a well established residential estate doesn’t really fit the criteria for what the government say Travelling communities want from sites - rural and on the edge of a city. This is neither.”

The Local Plan also aims to build 1,640 new home in the area of South East Sheffield, as well as create a ‘Local Green Space’ at Owlthorpe Fields.