Residents form action group over travellers' site (From Ledbury Reporter)

Residents form action group over travellers' site

5:10pm Thursday 11th June 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share

NEWENT residents have formed an action group to oppose a travellers' site on the edge of their town.

The travellers moved on to the field off Southend Lane three weeks ago and started putting down hardstanding and installing septic tanks.

Although the travellers own the field, they do not have planning permission to change its use, and Forest of Dean District Council is taking enforcement action against them.

Now residents have formed the Southend Lane Action Movement (SLAM). In a leaflet distributed across Newent, the group says: "Our anger is not directed against the travellers themselves, who are merely exploiting well-publicised legal loopholes in order to provide homes for their families. We're furious about the lack of action taken to prevent this utterly unacceptable situation from occurring."

The group also wants to address wider questions. According to figures from the Department for Communities and Local Government, the number of illegal sites on land owned by travellers has risen from 729 in January 2000, to 2,356 this year.

More than 100 Newent residents packed into the town's community centre on Monday night to hear the latest about the travellers. District and town councillor Len Lawton, who chaired the meeting, said residents asked senior council officers questions about health and safety issues and what legal steps the district was taking.

This week, spokesman Tony Wisdom said: "We have issued enforcement notices requiring the travellers to return the field to its former state, but they have the right to appeal, and that could take up to six months. We are conscious of people's concerns and we're monitoring the site, but at the moment there is a limited amount we can do."

• Print
• Email
• Share