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I'll sell my farm to travellers
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| Dean Fewings - lost his appeal against having to close his scrap business |
A SCRAP boss has warned a huge traveller site could be built in a beauty spot if councillors continue to try and close his business.
Dean Fewings, 41, runs a breakers and vehicle repair yard in Pudsey Hall Lane, Canewdon, and was given six months to shut down after losing an appeal this week.
Mr Fewings, who once farmed the land at the site, vowed to appeal the Planning Inspectorate decision, but warned if he is forced to close then he would sell the land to travellers.
He described how his godfather Ray Bocking, 67, ran a scrapyard at Dale Farm, Crays Hill, but sold the land to Irish travellers in 2001, because Basildon Council closed his business in a similar way.
After Mr Bocking's contract ended, he warned he would have no choice but to sell. He did and Dale Farm - now Europe's biggest illegal traveller site - was developed.
Mr Fewings said: "Rochford Council is putting me in the same position. If they force the situation they will end up with another Dale Farm, because the demand is there from travellers.
"Ninety five per cent of my customers are travellers."
Travellers already live on part of his farm - although the planning inspector ruled all but two families must go.
Mr Fewings accepted Pudsey Hall Farm was not suitable for the amount of scrap he deals with - up to 500 tonnes of iron a week - but said he had tried to find alternative sites and the council would not discuss it.
He claims many of the residents in Pudsey Hall Lane support him.
He said: "The council just wants me out. I believe it is because it wants my land to develop. It was considering using compulsory purchase orders."
Rochford Council said it would not bow to Mr Fewing's "threat" and would take all action possible to prevent more traveller sites being developed at Pudsey Hall Farm.
Council leader Terry Cutmore said it was not the first time the scrap boss had made the threat to the council.
He said: "We will use any means at our disposal to stop any development."
If Mr Fewings sold the land to travellers, legally they would need planning permission to develop a site, but at Dale Farm the site was developed without permission.
2:51pm Friday 9th May 2008
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CommentPosted by: Margaret Stoll, Rochford on 3:52pm Fri 9 May 08
If enough people got together to raise money, do you think he might be willing to sell it to make it into a wildlife reserve, to preserve it from the fate he plans for it?
If enough people got together to raise money, do you think he might be willing to sell it to make it into a wildlife reserve, to preserve it from the fate he plans for it?
Posted by: sweet justice, wickford on 4:30pm Fri 9 May 08
If this stupid man does sell to the so called travellers then the land should be compulsory purchased by the council and then they could turn it into a wildlife park ha ha. Everyone in Essex should lobby their MP to try and change the planning laws of our lovely county/country before we lose the lot.
If this stupid man does sell to the so called travellers then the land should be compulsory purchased by the council and then they could turn it into a wildlife park ha ha. Everyone in Essex should lobby their MP to try and change the planning laws of our lovely county/country before we lose the lot.
Posted by: Local Boy, Hawkwell on 4:49pm Fri 9 May 08
[quote][bold]Margaret Stoll[/bold] wrote:
If enough people got together to raise money, do you think he might be willing to sell it to make it into a wildlife reserve, to preserve it from the fate he plans for it?[/quote] No I don't, I think he has no regard for his neighbours, the community in which he lives or the law of the land.
His approach is to spite everyone because he did not get his own way.
I would expect Rochford DC to act in a timely manner if he sells to anyone who believes they have a right to develop the site illegally.
Margaret Stoll wrote:
If enough people got together to raise money, do you think he might be willing to sell it to make it into a wildlife reserve, to preserve it from the fate he plans for it?
No I don't, I think he has no regard for his neighbours, the community in which he lives or the law of the land.
His approach is to spite everyone because he did not get his own way.
I would expect Rochford DC to act in a timely manner if he sells to anyone who believes they have a right to develop the site illegally.
Posted by: Seen it on 4:52pm Fri 9 May 08
Agree 100% with Margaret and "sweet justice".
Have to say, now "travellers" might be involved, at least this story will always be "front page" - unlike other news that we need to be told, ie developers ruining a lot more greenbelt (with council's blessing) than a few scrap yards.
He's been fined 18k for polluting the river crouch - who does this money go to by the way, and will it be used to try to "clean" the crouch where possible?
PS - I didn't think that Southend area was in Jon Austin's remit - we asked him about developers before and he said he only reported in Basildon - is it now his remit because travellers might be involved?
Genuine questions.
Agree 100% with Margaret and "sweet justice".
Have to say, now "travellers" might be involved, at least this story will always be "front page" - unlike other news that we need to be told, ie developers ruining a lot more greenbelt (with council's blessing) than a few scrap yards.
He's been fined 18k for polluting the river crouch - who does this money go to by the way, and will it be used to try to "clean" the crouch where possible?
PS - I didn't think that Southend area was in Jon Austin's remit - we asked him about developers before and he said he only reported in Basildon - is it now his remit because travellers might be involved?
Genuine questions.
Posted by: APR, Benfleet on 10:12am Sat 10 May 08
I used to work with a chap who bought a bungalow in Pudsey Hall Lane, back in the late 60's.
He paid about £2,500 for it, and everyone said he was mad paying that much.
I used to work with a chap who bought a bungalow in Pudsey Hall Lane, back in the late 60's.
He paid about £2,500 for it, and everyone said he was mad paying that much.
Posted by: ShipShape, Basildonk on 1:19pm Sun 11 May 08
why have the comments been censored?
Whos the thin skin?
why have the comments been censored?
Whos the thin skin?
Posted by: Ken Dodd, Pudsey Bears House on 1:36pm Sun 11 May 08
[bold]Very Good Question SHIPSHAPE why have they been censored and removed, there were 18 comments last time i looked, now only 6 plus this one. Maybe the echo would like to tell us why ??? None of them were false, especially mine which went into great detail, and was very accurate, plus some of the others were just headlines, as already reported by this paper. Come on JON you wrote the article, now explain to YOUR readers the reason for its removal.[/bold]
Very Good Question SHIPSHAPE why have they been censored and removed, there were 18 comments last time i looked, now only 6 plus this one. Maybe the echo would like to tell us why ??? None of them were false, especially mine which went into great detail, and was very accurate, plus some of the others were just headlines, as already reported by this paper. Come on JON you wrote the article, now explain to YOUR readers the reason for its removal. Posted by: Margaret Stoll, Rochford on 3:48pm Sun 11 May 08
I didn't see 18 comments on here, so they can't have been here very long. Having said that, I think mine about the farm at Canewdon has also been removed - I asked if it was close to this site? The people who sell meat to the public 2 weekends a month trade as Woodford Farm Meats. Their farm also borders the Crouch and the land is full of wildlife, grey partridges, rabbits, you name it. They're very friendly people there, happy for people to drive down through the farm to see the beef cattle and all the rest of it. Beef cattle grazing in a field and sailing-boats going along behind them!
I didn't see 18 comments on here, so they can't have been here very long. Having said that, I think mine about the farm at Canewdon has also been removed - I asked if it was close to this site? The people who sell meat to the public 2 weekends a month trade as Woodford Farm Meats. Their farm also borders the Crouch and the land is full of wildlife, grey partridges, rabbits, you name it. They're very friendly people there, happy for people to drive down through the farm to see the beef cattle and all the rest of it. Beef cattle grazing in a field and sailing-boats going along behind them!
Posted by: Confused on 4:08pm Sun 11 May 08
What happened to the rest of the comments??
What happened to the rest of the comments??
Posted by: leo, near Pudsey on 12:47am Mon 12 May 08
MY COMMENTS WERE REMOVED,although not offencesive or breaching legal boundaries, WHY!!!
Rochford district council, Essex county council take notice,this man has given you plenty of advanced warning. This man has made the threats, make sure you stop it before it gets out of hand as in Basildon area.
MY COMMENTS WERE REMOVED,although not offencesive or breaching legal boundaries, WHY!!!
Rochford district council, Essex county council take notice,this man has given you plenty of advanced warning. This man has made the threats, make sure you stop it before it gets out of hand as in Basildon area.
Posted by: Pedant, Essex on 1:30pm Mon 12 May 08
[quote][bold]Seen it[/bold] wrote:
Agree 100% with Margaret and "sweet justice". Have to say, now "travellers" might be involved, at least this story will always be "front page" - unlike other news that we need to be told, ie developers ruining a lot more greenbelt (with council's blessing) than a few scrap yards. He's been fined 18k for polluting the river crouch - who does this money go to by the way, and will it be used to try to "clean" the crouch where possible? PS - I didn't think that Southend area was in Jon Austin's remit - we asked him about developers before and he said he only reported in Basildon - is it now his remit because travellers might be involved? Genuine questions.[/quote] In response to the "Seen it" post about the fine.
Mr Fewings was in fact fined [bold]£5000[/bold] by Harlow Magistrates court for polluting a [bold]tributary[/bold] of the Crouch. This fine goes to the government.
The rest of the money, some £13000, was costs awarded to the Environment Agency. This was for clean-up of the tributary, which had already been completed and for their court costs.
Seen it wrote:
Agree 100% with Margaret and "sweet justice". Have to say, now "travellers" might be involved, at least this story will always be "front page" - unlike other news that we need to be told, ie developers ruining a lot more greenbelt (with council's blessing) than a few scrap yards. He's been fined 18k for polluting the river crouch - who does this money go to by the way, and will it be used to try to "clean" the crouch where possible? PS - I didn't think that Southend area was in Jon Austin's remit - we asked him about developers before and he said he only reported in Basildon - is it now his remit because travellers might be involved? Genuine questions.
In response to the "Seen it" post about the fine.
Mr Fewings was in fact fined
£5000 by Harlow Magistrates court for polluting a
tributary of the Crouch. This fine goes to the government.
The rest of the money, some £13000, was costs awarded to the Environment Agency. This was for clean-up of the tributary, which had already been completed and for their court costs.
Posted by: Kim Gandy, Rayleigh on 4:56pm Mon 12 May 08
[quote]No I don't, I think he has no regard for his neighbours, the community in which he lives or the law of the land.[/quote]
Quite right Local Boy but then he says 95% of his customers are travellers.
That says it all.
THINK about it.
No I don't, I think he has no regard for his neighbours, the community in which he lives or the law of the land.
Quite right Local Boy but then he says 95% of his customers are travellers.
That says it all.
THINK about it.
Posted by: KEN DODD, HERE on 2:10pm Tue 13 May 08
FOR THOSE INTERESTED I HAVE A COPY OF THE 18 COMMENTS, ALL VALID AND CORRECT THAT WERE LEFT, I PRESUME AS THE ECHO HAS NOT RESPONDED TO WHY THEY HAVE BEEN REMOVED, IT IS OK FOR ME TO POST A COPY OF THE WEBPAGE ON A THIRD PARTY SITE FOR ALL TO SEE ??
FOR THOSE INTERESTED I HAVE A COPY OF THE 18 COMMENTS, ALL VALID AND CORRECT THAT WERE LEFT, I PRESUME AS THE ECHO HAS NOT RESPONDED TO WHY THEY HAVE BEEN REMOVED, IT IS OK FOR ME TO POST A COPY OF THE WEBPAGE ON A THIRD PARTY SITE FOR ALL TO SEE ??
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