A traveller has been ordered to remove flats built illegally inside his barn after claiming his ‘gipsy status’ should allow him to keep them.

Sean Gorman, 58, was told the residences on his farm breached planning laws, having been built on agricultural land and in a flood risk zone without permission.

He was served an enforcement notice by the Gloucester City Council that ordered the removal of all fixtures and fittings including wiring and plumbing that meant they could be used as housing.

Mr Gorman, of Severnside Farm in Walham, Gloucester appealed to the government’s planning inspectorate to overturn the decision at a two-day inquiry.

He argued that the enforcement notice had not been properly served and didn’t consider his gipsy status, which is a protected characteristic.

The planning inspector rejected the claim because he was served personally with the notice and had been able to seek professional advice and lodge his appeal.

The council said it was pleased the inspector agreed this was a serious breach of planning laws. 

Mr Gorman also challenged the council’s enforcement notice on the grounds that the flats had been on the land since 2020 and had been in continuous use for four years.

Sean Gorman, 58 attempted to use his gipsy status to keep flats built inside his barn (circled)

This was rejected by the inspector, who found gaps in the evidence, including no tenancy agreements for the flats between July 2021 and 2023, and that the earliest tenancy agreement was from 2023. 

He described the evidence given by Mr Gorman and his witnesses as ‘contradictory’.

Mr Gorman now has six months to comply with the enforcement notice by carrying out works to remove the flats from residential use.

Failure to comply with the notice can result in further legal action.

A spokesperson for Gloucester City Council, said: ‘We’re pleased that the inspector agreed with our view that this was a serious breach of planning laws.

‘Our planning regulations are there to protect our city from unauthorised development and to make sure that the city works for everyone. We will not hesitate to take action where people do not seek the appropriate permissions.’