A group of travellers are hoping to obtain council planning permission for a new settlement by installing e-bike chargers to prove their eco credentials.
In a bid to woo the local council, Michael Chalk and Tom Butler have been accused of including 'token sustainability features' in their planning application in order to have their plans approved for a rural site in Burley, New Forest.
Their controversial application has caused a row amongst locals in the ancient village located in the heart of Hampshire's idyllic New Forest, after the pair and their families set up static caravans on the former horse paddocks before then lodging plans to install e-bike chargers and cycle sheds.
In a move dubbed by locals as 'performative', the travellers have proposed to build grey, plastic e-bike sheds and charging ports on the field.
Submitting a retrospective planning application to install two static caravans, two touring caravans, parking, bin and cycle stores, e-bike charging points and boundary fencing on the former pony paddocks earlier this year, their plans have now sparked outrage amongst local villagers.
