Sefton Council apply for grant to make improvements to Red Rose Park traveller site in Formby

Dec 18 2012 by Sam Yarwood, Formby Times

A LONG-ESTABLISHED gypsy and traveller site in Formby could receive a makeover after a bid was made for government funding.

Sefton Council has applied to the Homes and Communities Agency for support to refurbish the out-of-date facilities at Red Rose Park on Broad Lane.

If the application for funding is successful, a planning application would also be made to create four new family pitches within the site’s existing boundaries.

It is planned that the number of pitches would be increased from 16 to 20 to accommodate the growing size of families in the rooted community.

The council has bid for £308,000 for the project and, if granted, a consultation would take place as part of any planning application to increase the number of pitches at the remote site, off Southport Old Road.

A spokesman for Sefton Council said: "Red Rose Park is now more than 20 years old and the dilapidated shower and toilet facilities are prone to technical problems and don't provide enough hot water or heat.

"The council does not have the money to improve the facilities and without external funding the site might be forced to close in the future.

"Of course. this would put increased pressure on other authorised sites in the region and possibly lead to more incidents of illegal encampments.

"At this stage, we do not know if our application will be successful, but the bid will allow us to bring about much-needed improvements at the facility."