Associate
- Joined
- 16 Feb 2009
- Posts
- 1,505
Busy day at work for me yesterday:
The site has been occupied since October 2004 when travellers moved onto part of a field owned by another traveller which they said they had bought. They created a road and hard-standings for eight static mobile homes with parking for a number of touring caravans.
Today's eviction is taking place because the travellers have contravened enforcement notices requiring them to move from the Green Belt land in a Special Landscape Area and return it to agricultural use.
The council believes there are 39 people living on the site – 10 men, nine women and 20 children.
The women and children are all considered vulnerable. There are three pregnant women and possibly two babies. Three of the children and one adult have specific medical needs. These vulnerable people will be encouraged to leave the site at an early stage. There will housing officers available to offer advice.
There will be emergency road closures set up by the police as necessary. Roads leading to the site were likely to be closed by the police from early this morning and residents in nearby streets are being given information by letter about the eviction. The letters were being delivered first thing this morning.
Emergency road closures could affect Nurstead Church Lane/White Post Lane from the A227 through to a point where the N192 footpath crosses White Post Lane adjoining Greenmount. Copt Hall Lane from its junction with White Post Lane through to Trollingtrough Green (Church Road/Jeskyns Lane will also have restricted access.
Today's eviction involves 20 agents with low-loaders and eight-wheeled lorries and their drivers. They were being accompanied by police officers and a PCSO.
As well as the eight mobile home units (one per plot) there are up to a dozen touring caravans which the travellers are expected to remove themselves. There are also stables, dayrooms, sheds and other outbuildings together with hard-standings and septic tanks which will also be removed.
There are seven ponies and foals currently grazing on the adjoining land and are not considered to be an issue. There is one small jack russell type dog on Plot 1.
Council leader Cllr Mike Snelling said: "This situation has gone on long enough and I very much hope that today's action will bring this sorry episode to a speedy and peaceful conclusion. The council, at the end of the day, cannot allow planning laws to be flouted especially on land designated as Green Belt and a Special Landscape Area."
The initial enforcement action led to a planning appeal public inquiry in February 2006 which, after six days, resulted in a compromise agreement between the council and the travellers. The travellers agreed to withdraw their appeals and vacate the site subject to the council extending the period of compliance until 1 October 2008 in order to allow them to look for an alternative site and for the council to consider alternatives sites within its Local Development Framework (LDF) programme.
The council identified an alternative site on temporary allotment land in Springhead Road, Northfleet and planning permission was obtained for its use as a permanent gypsy and traveller caravan site for eight pitches. This was offered to the travellers but their agent advised the council that they were not interested in the site. The council consequently recommenced its enforcement action as the Notices had taken effect on 1 October 2008. Failure to comply with the enforcement notices is a criminal offence.
After lengthy discussions, there is still no agreement on the offer of the new site so today's eviction was authorised by the council. The council has prepared part of the site (not including the Royal Naval Association building) for occupation.
The travellers have applied again for planning permission which was refused in February this year and is subject to an appeal but today's action is on the original enforcement notice.
a little video
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kentonline/news/2009/june/29/police_evict_travellers.aspx
Borich
The site has been occupied since October 2004 when travellers moved onto part of a field owned by another traveller which they said they had bought. They created a road and hard-standings for eight static mobile homes with parking for a number of touring caravans.
Today's eviction is taking place because the travellers have contravened enforcement notices requiring them to move from the Green Belt land in a Special Landscape Area and return it to agricultural use.
The council believes there are 39 people living on the site – 10 men, nine women and 20 children.
The women and children are all considered vulnerable. There are three pregnant women and possibly two babies. Three of the children and one adult have specific medical needs. These vulnerable people will be encouraged to leave the site at an early stage. There will housing officers available to offer advice.
There will be emergency road closures set up by the police as necessary. Roads leading to the site were likely to be closed by the police from early this morning and residents in nearby streets are being given information by letter about the eviction. The letters were being delivered first thing this morning.
Emergency road closures could affect Nurstead Church Lane/White Post Lane from the A227 through to a point where the N192 footpath crosses White Post Lane adjoining Greenmount. Copt Hall Lane from its junction with White Post Lane through to Trollingtrough Green (Church Road/Jeskyns Lane will also have restricted access.
Today's eviction involves 20 agents with low-loaders and eight-wheeled lorries and their drivers. They were being accompanied by police officers and a PCSO.
As well as the eight mobile home units (one per plot) there are up to a dozen touring caravans which the travellers are expected to remove themselves. There are also stables, dayrooms, sheds and other outbuildings together with hard-standings and septic tanks which will also be removed.
There are seven ponies and foals currently grazing on the adjoining land and are not considered to be an issue. There is one small jack russell type dog on Plot 1.
Council leader Cllr Mike Snelling said: "This situation has gone on long enough and I very much hope that today's action will bring this sorry episode to a speedy and peaceful conclusion. The council, at the end of the day, cannot allow planning laws to be flouted especially on land designated as Green Belt and a Special Landscape Area."
The initial enforcement action led to a planning appeal public inquiry in February 2006 which, after six days, resulted in a compromise agreement between the council and the travellers. The travellers agreed to withdraw their appeals and vacate the site subject to the council extending the period of compliance until 1 October 2008 in order to allow them to look for an alternative site and for the council to consider alternatives sites within its Local Development Framework (LDF) programme.
The council identified an alternative site on temporary allotment land in Springhead Road, Northfleet and planning permission was obtained for its use as a permanent gypsy and traveller caravan site for eight pitches. This was offered to the travellers but their agent advised the council that they were not interested in the site. The council consequently recommenced its enforcement action as the Notices had taken effect on 1 October 2008. Failure to comply with the enforcement notices is a criminal offence.
After lengthy discussions, there is still no agreement on the offer of the new site so today's eviction was authorised by the council. The council has prepared part of the site (not including the Royal Naval Association building) for occupation.
The travellers have applied again for planning permission which was refused in February this year and is subject to an appeal but today's action is on the original enforcement notice.
a little video
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kentonline/news/2009/june/29/police_evict_travellers.aspx
Borich
Serious scumbags.
