Morecambe Travellers site to get £1m major refurb

This is part of £10m government money to improve and build new public authority Traveller sites, which has been split between nine councils across England – including Lancaster, Preston, Kent, Cornwall, and Swindon.

Lancaster City Council who own the Mellishaw Park Traveller site received the biggest award of £960,000 from the Government’s Traveller Site Fund.

The money will help to pay for the redevelopment of the existing site, which will involve the demolition of existing buildings and the reconfiguration of the existing 19 traveller pitches that are home to around 90 people.

Plans include the erection of nine semi-detached amenity buildings and a landlord/caretaker building.

The internal access road will be realigned to accommodate the new layout of the pitches and a new amenity area.

Councillor Caroline Jackson, deputy leader and cabinet member with special responsibility for housing, said: “I’m delighted we’ve been successful in this funding bid.

"It will allow us to make some much-needed improvements to the Mellishaw site and provide improved facilities for our residents.”

The Travellers Times reported: “This is a massive turnaround for the residents of Mellishaw, whose homes were in doubt when Lancashire County Council initially put the run-down and dilapidated site up for sale in 2019.

"Eventually, after a hard-fought campaign the site was sold to Lancaster City Council."

The national charity Friends, Families and Travellers welcomed the funding, but said that of the 16 grants given, only one had been awarded to build much-needed new transit sites, and that much more needed to be done to improve conditions on permanent sites.

A spokesperson for Friends, Families and Travellers said: “The Traveller Site Fund should signal the beginning of a structured and consistent funding allocation programme for more safe stopping places for the thousands of Gypsies and Travellers who are stuck on endless waiting lists.

“With exact details yet to emerge, it’s clear the Government must also take action to tackle the energy crisis unravelling in Gypsy and Traveller communities, and to embed long-term resilience in site design.

“This funding will be vital in ensuring Gypsies and Travellers save money in outgoing energy bills.”

“While the Local Authorities that have received funding under the TSF have an opportunity to tackle energy issues, more concerted, national government action is urgently required as the cost of living and energy prices disproportionately impact Gypsies and Travellers.”