Travellers' site to get £1.25m makeover

By pkemp

More than a million pounds will be invested in a Lincolnshire caravan site that caters for traveller and gypsy families.

The Homes and Communities Agency, which funds the re-vamping of sites for travelling communities, is providing almost £1.25 million for the Summergangs Lane caravan park near Gainsborough.

Deputy leader of Lincolnshire County Council Peter Robinson said: "The bid was made to the Home and Communities Agency in order to improve the general condition and make good the lack of facilities provided on the Summergangs Lane traveller site.

"The grant will be used to fund the refurbishment of 19 existing pitches, bring another back into use and create an additional space.

"The proposed works include the provision of 21 new amenity blocks with kitchen and bathroom facilities, extending the size of several pitches and upgrading the electricity supply to and around the site."

If evenly distributed between all 21 sites, the grant works out at £54,000 per pitch.

In 2008 the Lincolnshire Gypsy Liaison Group (LGLG) did a site survey of Summergangs Lane.

Spokesman for the LGLG Ryalla Duffy said: "The document highlighted the poor living conditions on site and the health and safety issues.

"Long overdue improvements will mean that at last the rent paying residents will now experience living conditions on a par and in line with other social housing residents."

East Midlands regional director for the HCA Margaret Allen said: "The aim of the grant programme is to increase the number and quality of authorised sites throughout England. Roughly a quarter of all gypsy and traveller caravans have no authorised site, despite a desire by their owners to have a permanent base."