A family has been told they have not proved they are Gypsy and Travellers and have been denied permission to keep their homes. 

Huntingdonshire District Council said “insufficient information” had been provided to establish the Gypsy and Traveller status of the family in planning terms. 

The family had asked permission for four static and eight touring caravans on land at Rosefield Parkhall Road in Somersham. 

The application was partly retrospective, meaning some of the work requested had already taken place. 

A planning statement submitted to the district council said: “The application is seeking to develop a site of four pitches for an extended Gypsy and Traveller family at Rosefield Park Hall Road, Somersham. 

“The development is retrospective. The applicants are local to the area and have maintained a settled base in Somersham for many years. 

“The site is located on a former waste site that has been reclaimed. No day rooms are proposed. The site has access to all utilities.” 

The proposals had been objected to by Somersham Parish Council due to concerns the changes would be an “overdevelopment of the site”. 

In its decision notice, the district council said the application was refused due to there being “insufficient information” submitted to establish the “Gypsy and Traveller status of the proposed occupiers”. 

The authority also said the development would “fail to recognise the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside” and would have a “detrimental impact” on the area. 

The family does have the right to appeal the district council’s decision.