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Showman's quarters near Kettering approved despite objections

BBC Night shot of a fairground with big wheel and roundaboutBBC
The Scarrott family said they would leave the site for carnival season and not return until the winter

A showman's family quarters is to be created on a farm despite objections from people living nearby.

The residential site, near Hannington in Northamptonshire, is currently used for "equestrian and residential" purposes.

The Scarrott fairground family have outgrown their current site in Woodford Halse, near Daventry.

A 200-strong petition opposing the plan was sent in, but West Northamptonshire Council has granted permission.

The showman's family quarters will be created at Ferndown and Pastures Farm, to the north east of Hannington and close to the A43.

The council's planning committee heard there were four generations currently living at the site in Woodford Halse, and the existing site was no longer big enough to accommodate all of the family's vehicles.

'Clean and organised'

Woodford cum Membris Parish Council submitted a document to the council praising the family, saying they had always kept the site "in a clean and organised condition", there had been no noise complaints, and they had engaged in the community.

According to the planning application, Ferndown will have 10 plots for caravans and storage for fairground rides and equipment. An existing stable block will become a maintenance area.

A total of 72 members of the public and parish councils registered objections.

The main issues raised were development in open countryside near protected woodland, noise and lights from rides being tested, and an increase in traffic on nearby roads.

Google Entrance into a farm. Hedge to the right and fence to the left. Name plaques say "Ferndown" and "Pastures Farm"Google
The showman's family quarters will be at a farm near Hannington

Walgrave parish councillor Andy Laker said: "The possible movement of showman's vehicles could cause considerable disruption and damage to local roads, and present a danger to pedestrians."

Councillors heard that the planning authority's highways officer had reviewed the roads and found that although there were six crashes at the nearby crossroads, the site would not "make the existing situation worse or require mitigation".

The Scarrott family's agent, Nick Baseley, said: "My clients are hardworking, tax-paying members of the Daventry community, having lived in the district for the past 50 years and deserving of a safer site.

"The level of overcrowding on the existing site is not something that would be accepted or tolerated for any other sector of society."

Councillors voted unanimously to allow the project to go ahead.

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