Councillors in St Albans have refused to give retrospective permission for additional caravans at a traveller site.

The land behind Ardens Rise, on House Lane, Sandridge, already has a number of static caravan pitches for gypsies and travellers, which have planning permission.

On March 9 (Monday) a meeting of St Albans City and District Council’s planning referrals committee considered a retrospective application for five more caravans or mobile homes, on an adjoining piece of land.

The application includes areas of hard-standing, grass and hedging.

But at the meeting councillors refused to allow the changes to the site, which sits within the metropolitan green belt.

They agreed with the officer’s recommendation that it was “inappropriate development”.

And they agreed the necessary "very special circumstances" did not exist to justify the potential harm to the green belt.

Cllr Leonard who called in the application for consideration said: “From my point of view there is no discussion.

“I agree with what the officers have said. It’s a green belt site.

"It’s harmful to the green belt, as far as I am concerned the officers have it right and the application should be removed. ”

Conservative councillor Sandra Wood said that whilst she understood "where the applicant was coming from", she didn’t think it would be acceptable to approve it in the area.

At the meeting, it was reported to councillors that Sandridge Parish Council had objected to the application, as had the Campaign to Protect Rural England.

Ten individual people and Jersey Farm Residents’ Association had also responded to the public consultation.

Issues highlighted included the "creeping conversion of the green belt" to a traveller caravan site, flood concerns, shortage of school places locally and the impact on traffic.

They also suggested the development would set a precedent and the proposals were unsightly.

Despite recommending refusal, the officer’s report to the committee did recognise a lack of traveller sites in the district and acknowledged the council "cannot currently demonstrate a sufficient supply of pitches".