TRAVELLER and businessman John Loveridge yesterday started his bid to overturn a council's refusal to allow him to site four caravans on a former workshop site.

His appeal process began with a full day's preliminary hearing at Blackburn Town Hall before government inspector Ahsan Ghafoor.

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Mr Loveridge wants to overturn an enforcement notice from Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council ordering him to remove the caravans.

He is also contesting its refusal of his application to base them and a store for his business on the vacant former Lawnmower Specialists site in Sandy Lane in Lower Darwen.

His proposal for the caravans and an shower and toilet block has been controversial since originally submitted in 2014.

Local residents packed protest meetings about the proposed 'travellers site' and submitted a 1,250 signature petition to the council’s planning committee opposing the scheme.

In December 2014, Mr Loveridge withdrew his proposal, and resubmitted it in January last year after moving his vehicles onto the 0.3 acre site.

The application was refused in March by council officers and they then issued the enforcement notice ordering the caravans off the site.

Mr Ghafoor heard preliminary arguments from the council's planning officer Robert Buffham and Mr Loveridge's agent Mike Carr before arranging a site visit.

Mr Loveridge wants three touring caravans, a static caravan and an amenity building for his family while keeping the existing commercial use of the former lawnmower workshop for his business activities.

Mr Buffham told Mr Ghafoor this required a change to 'mixed use'.

Mr Carr said Mr Loveridge wuld consider a 'personalised' permission for the caravans.

In a statement submitted to the council, Mr Carr said: "The applicant’s personal circumstances and his 'Traveller' status are significant material considerations.

"Historically, the applicant had many connections with the Blackburn and Darwen travelling community and has spent the past 10 years in and around the borough.

"A number of those years were spent at the side of the road on illegal encampments.

"For the stability of his family, he has decided to find a suitable site within he borough, to provide his family with a safer home environment, whilst allowing access to the surrounding motorway network when the family will continue to travel.

Rossendale and Darwen MP Jake Berry has expressed concern at Mr Loveridge's use of a legal loophole by moving caravans onto the site and reapplying for planning permission thus preventing their removal until the process is exhausted.