AN application has been made to expand a gipsy site on green belt land.

But worried neighbours say the gipsies currently living on the sprawling site have already begun clearing trees and burning rubbish.

According to residents in Keston’s Croydon Road and The Drift, gipsies first moved onto the edge of West Wickham Common in 1989.

It is thought the land formerly belonged to the Girl Guides but a large family of gipsies now live in mobile homes and caravans on the site.

Last week, Bromley Council received a formal planning application asking for eight more mobile homes to be installed between the River Cray and Ravens Wood School.

But neighbours and the school admit they were forced to call in council officers after rubbish was burnt on the land, sending plumes of toxic smoke into the air.

One neighbour, who did not wish to be named, told News Shopper: “Sometimes we would be sitting in our back garden and then all of a sudden a tree would just disappear from view.

“They have been burning electrical cabling and tyres and some of the smoke has been pretty toxic.”

'Taking land'

Another elderly neighbour said: “The family living there have had some disputes with residents living nearby in the past and they just seem to be taking more and more land.

“They shouldn’t be allowed to cut the trees down as they want.

“Putting more mobile homes is just going to create more problems.”

Ward councillor Stephen Carr says an injunction was taken out several months ago to stop the gipsies from setting up more mobile homes.

He added: “It is not an appropriate development and I will take on board any residents’ concerns and support that point of view.”

The Bromley Gipsy and Traveller Project helps gypsies and travellers across the borough.

Project worker James Bellsham-Revell says there are around 1,500 gipsy traveller families living in the borough - one of the highest concentrations in Europe.

He said: “It would be good if the council did grant this planning application.

“Gipsy travellers in this area need more plot provision.

“There is a lot of ongoing prejudice towards these communities and, unfortunately, it seems to be widely accepted now.”

News Shopper visited the site last week but were unable to contact the family behind the plans.