Travellers' site on Bexhill's doorstep?

The previous county council-funded site off the Pebsham landfill site access at Freshfields Road, St Leonards was closed after travellers trashed it, saying it was too close to the Reprotech waste-derived fuel pellet plant for their health.

Now residents in Bexhill Road, St Leonards have received public consultation letters from consultants TK Associates inviting them to "small community meetings" with Hastings Borough Council to hear about the borough's plans.

The proposal is for a transit camp for travellers but the Observer understands there are moves to establish a permanent site.

Local authorities are required by law to make provision for caravan sites for travellers. At one stage Rother District Council looked at Herbrand Walk as a site but dropped the idea.

TK Associates are the same consultants who conducted the public consultation into the Pebsham Countryside Park.

The irony of this has not been lost on neighbouring householders for the site now the subject of consultation is on the approach road to the park.

The old travellers' site was in a field on higher ground overlooking the Reprotech plant - now controversially zoned for redevelopment as a waste materials transfer station.

The new site is near the sports pavilion on playing field opposite the derelict Reprotech plant.

Letters delivered to one in 20 households in Bexhill Road say: "Hastings Council is seeking better relations between travellers and the general community including less disruption from unauthorised encampments.

"It intends to achieve this by creating a short-stay traveller site.

"The council is considering three potential sites for this, from which it will choose one and submit a planning application. One of these is in your area - off the Freshfields tip road in the playing fields behind Bexhill Road."

Meetings are being held on Wednesday, January 24 and Wednesday, January 31 from 6.15pm to 8.15pm at West St Leonards Community Centre in Bexhill Road (at the corner of Filsham Road).