TRAVELLING showpeople have been given the go ahead to move on to a clearing in an area of Hampshire woodland.

Two families have been given permission to use a site off Gardeners Lane in East Wellow – despite fears the move could cause traffic problems in the area.

Members of Test Valley Borough Council’s southern area planning committee approved the new living quarters, which would also provide storage space for mobile homes, fairground rides and show transportation vehicles.

A report had urged them to support the idea as an existing site for showpeople nearby had become overcrowded.

Cllr Gordon Bailey told colleagues the proposed site, close to Hampshire Collegiate School, had become run down in the past and hoped the new owners would tidy it up.

He said: “This application site has been used as a dump for a number of years and in order to use it as they wish, they would have to clean it up, which is a very good thing.”

But Caroline Nokes questioned the wisdom of allowing development to take place in the ancient woodland area.

She told members: “I would be extremely concerned were there to be further applications in this area. We are seeing the steady erosion of the countryside.”