A planning application has been submitted to create a new traveller site on the outskirts of Warwick, near the M40.

Philip Brown Associates Limited has put forward a scheme to Warwick District Council (WDC) to turn an agricultural field along Henley Road into a new base for 12 families.

The application says the residents - who now own the site - do not currently have a lawful place to park their caravans, and the new site would allow them a permanent home.

Plans come after the council was forced to step in to stop the site being developed without planning permission.

"The proposal involved the change of use of land to use as a residential caravan site for 12 gypsy/traveller families, each with two caravans including no more than one static caravan/mobile home," the application said, "together with the laying of hardstanding and improvement of the existing access."

If approved, the campsite would use the existing field access.

A list of the families intending to live there has also been provided in the application.

"These families do not currently have lawful pitches and have come together to acquire the application site to provide themselves with a settled base," the plans state.

"The provision of a settled base would allow these families to access health and education services, and avoid the necessity for unauthorised camping."

Planning documents submitted alongside the scheme concede the proposal "constitutes inappropriate development in the green belt".

But it said repurposing the site would actually "prevent urban sprawl "by keeping land permanently open" - as the green belt is designed to do.

"In this case the proposed development would involve some loss of openness in spatial terms but visually, would not be prominently located or obtrusive in the landscape," the application explained. 

"The caravan site would be substantially screened from public view and, the visual impact on openness would be limited."

The submission comes days after WDC took action against the inhabitants of the field, after building work began on site over the bank holiday weekend.

Last week a 'temporary stop notice' was served by officers and the police, preventing any more work happening on site for 56 days.

The council said it is actively considering further enforcement action whilst continuing to monitor and inspect the site to ensure that the Temporary Stop Notice is complied with.

See the full application here.