Man loses appeal over Mobberley green belt caravan site

A man has lost his appeal over setting up an unauthorised caravan site on green belt land he owns.

Michael Maloney, who is a member of the traveller community, moved on to land in Mobberley, Cheshire, in 2020.

He received a suspended prison sentence in 2021 for breaching an injunction to stop developing the site.

His appeal against Cheshire East Council's decision to reject the development and enforcement action was dismissed by the planning inspectorate.

Mr Maloney bought the land in August 2019 and moved his extended family into six caravans on the site a year later after their home near Bishop's Stortford in Essex was destroyed in an arson attack.

Cheshire East Council obtained an injunction ordering Mr Maloney to stop any further building work at the site and took Mr Maloney to court for breaching the order by moving seven more caravans on to the land.

He was found guilty at Manchester Civil Justice Centre of contempt of court for "disobeying" the injunction and sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for two years.

A planning inquiry was held in Macclesfield in March over the use of the land.

Planning inspector Roy Merrett concluded the development, both as existing and proposed, resulted "in significant visual harm to the character and appearance of the countryside".

He also rejected Mr Maloney's appeal on the grounds of aircraft noise, due to its proximity to Manchester Airport, which he said could have long-term health impacts on people living in caravans with no sound insulation.

Mr Maloney has been ordered to remove all caravans and motorhomes from the land, stop using it as a residential caravan site, remove gates, fencing and all other services and then restore the land with seeded topsoil.

He has been given 14 months to comply with the inspector's findings.

Councillor Mick Warren, the chairman of Cheshire East Council's environment and communities committee, said he was pleased the inspector "supported the council's approach to protect the borough's green belt, and our communities, from unauthorised development".

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