RESIDENTS in Newent fear a new age travellers’ site ‘could all go up in flames’ because the caravans are too close to one another.

Town Mayor Eddie Wood says the way the caravans on the Old Council Depot on Horsefair Lane are parked poses a real fire hazard.

The mayor and the town council have raised their concerns in the past several times but feel frustrated at the apparent inaction by the Forest of Dean District Council, who own the land.

“It’s a real danger for the area,” Mayor Wood said.

“I raised this issue with the Forest of Dean District Council around six months ago and many other occasions but we haven’t got anywhere with it.

“I can’t understand why the district council’s enforcement team haven’t done anything about it?

“Surely there must be regulations for caravan sites. If it were anybody else’s land they’d be on them like a ton of bricks.

“But as it’s their land they don’t seem to be doing anything about it.”

The site is believed to have been occupied since 2006 when Gloucestershire County Council, who leased the site at the time, allowed the travellers a year-long camp.

Back then, local resident Brian Oakley contacted the town council and the chief executives of district council and county council about the camp, which he described as illegal at the time and feared it would become permanent.

The site is no longer leased by Shire Hall and the district council’s cabinet is expected to make a decision about its future in the coming months.

It is believed that a report presenting three options for the site will be presented to them.

A spokesperson for the Forest of Dean District Council said: “A report is currently being prepared for cabinet with a number of options for the future of the site.  

“No decisions have been made at this point.”