TORY MP Jake Berry is asking for a meeting with new local government secretary Greg Clark to discuss legal loopholes exposed by the saga of the proposed travellers’ site in Lower Darwen.

In Autumn last year John Loveridge applied for planning permission to change the use of part of the former Lawnmower Specialists site and install one static caravan, three touring caravans and an amenity building.

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He had bought the Sandy Lane site earlier in 2014 and spent £3,000 cleaning it up.

The scheme provoked outrage among nearby residents who packed a protest meeting in November and raised a 1,250-signature petition opposed to the proposal.

Blackburn with Darwen Council’s Planning and Highways Committee turned down the scheme in March.

In the meantime Mr Loveridge, who had withdrawn the original application in December, had moved caravans onto the site and reapplied for permission, using a loophole in the process which prevents the caravans from being evicted until the planning application has been dealt with by the council.

Because a new planning application had been lodged, residents had to resubmit their previous objections before the meeting of the committee.

Now Rossendale and Darwen MP Mr Berry hopes to take up the issue with cabinet minister Mr Clark.

Mr Berry said: “I’m really concerned that up and down the country, travellers are taking advantage of loopholes in planning legislation to try to beat the planning system.

“This is not acceptable which is why I am meeting with the minister in order to raise this with him directly.

“Before the last election a number of attempts to change the rules around planning and travellers sites were blocked by the Liberal Democrats.

“I’m hopeful that with a majority Conservative Government we can now push ahead to make planning fair for everyone.”