RESIDENTS believe their opposition to a proposed traveller site near Cirencester has resulted in the application process being paused, while offers have also been made to buy the land from its current owners, according to a community group which has led the protests.

The Sunhill and Meysey Hampton (SAM) Community Group, set up to oppose a planning application submitted to Cotswold District Council (CDC) by the owners of a site in Sunhill around two months ago, has reported to the Standard that local opposition may have led to a pause in procedures, though this has not been confirmed by CDC.

The group has said that new offers to purchase the site have been made to the owner's agent, Bruton Knowles, including a locally-led plan by residents.

In a brief press release, SAM explained that it understands there have been light-industrial offers which would likely see an increase in size and frequency of lorries in the surrounding area, while residents have since come together to put forward a local-led plan to purchase the site, concerned that the new offers are also unsuitable for the site.

SAM held a public meeting at Meysey Hampton Village Hall on April 5, where more than 200 attending members of the public had turned out to oppose the plans for up to 15 traveller pitches on a site near Welsh Way currently used as a mushroom compost facility, and were encouraged to submit their views to CDC.

Within a short space of time, the application had received more than 350 opposing comments.

Ashish Singh, chairman of SAM, said: “We are delighted that members of the community have come together and submitted a local-led offer on the site. However, we are surprised that the community has still not received a response from the site's agent Bruton Knowles.”

Bruton Knowles, agent to site owners Cotswold Compost Ltd, has been approached by the Standard for comment but has not responded as of yet.