A developer has appealed a decision to refuse plans for a gypsy-traveller site near Starbeck.

Colchester-based Libre Solutions applied for retrospective permission to change the use of land at Oak Stables on Forest Moor Road for what it described in planning documents as a gypsy-traveller site with pitches for three touring caravans.

The proposal saw 34 letters of objection submitted to the authority.

In documents submitted to the council, the developer said the site was located within the green belt but had previously been developed and could therefore be categorised as “grey belt”.

However, in April, North Yorkshire Council refused the proposal on the grounds that the scheme was was “unauthorised” and “inappropriate”.

In a decision notice, Trevor Watson, assistant director of planning at the council, said the site was also within the green belt despite the developer’s claim that it would classify as “grey belt”.

Now, the developer has taken the decision to the government’s Planning Inspectorate — the body which deals with planning disputes.

In a statement to the inspectorate, the developer says the council “failed to appropriately assess the site as against the grey belt provisions within the National Planning Policy Framework”.

It adds:

Meanwhile, the developer is also appealing an enforcement notice issued by the council on April 4 which states that an “unauthorised change of use” has been implemented at the site without planning permission.

A government planning inspector will make a decision on the appeal at a later date.