MORE than 100 people attended a meeting in Shenstone to discuss proposals to build a site for travelling show people in Heath Lane.

The proposed site, next to Madinatul Uloom Al Islamiya School, would have eight residential caravans, 10 touring caravans and one static caravan, as well as storage for equipment and vehicles.

The planning permission is being applied for by Neil Jennings, whose family has a long history as travelling show people, providing fair ground rides and stalls at events throughout the district.

Residents and business people from the area met at the Granary Hotel, in Heath Lane, to discuss the plans.

Hotel owner Richard Fletcher said: “There was a lot of common sense spoken but there are concerns.

“We have concerns about access as it’s a tiny lane. We are also concerned about the inappropriateness of placing a travelling show people site next to the Muslim school.”

A spokesman for the Madinatul Uloom Al Islamiya School said: “It is a very small lane. We have no objection to travelling people but we’re still discussing with the neighbours as to the appropriateness of the land itself.”

Residents and business representatives said they will be hiring a consultant firm to object to the proposed site on their behalf.

They were also concerned that the site is on green belt land and that it may harm local wildlife.

Jason Kernohan, of Kidderminster, has been surveying the wildlife in Shenstone since 2007 as part of the British bird atlas project.

He said: “Heath Lane and the nearby Butts Lane and Stanklyn Lane are important areas within Worcestershire for some of the UK’s declining farmland birds including red data species such as Corn Bunting, Grey Partridge, Linnet, Skylark and Yellowhammer.

“The Corn Bunting is the biggest cause for concern as it is declining by huge numbers across the country.

“The development and the proposed vehicular access could have a catastrophic impact on this fragile population.”

The proposals can be viewed at Wyre Forest Customer Service Centre in Kidderminster Town Hall and a consultation period on the application continues until next Thursday.