Call for Travellers to be removed from field

Local councillors in south Bristol are calling for a field currently occupied by Travellers to be reclaimed for community use.

The councillors for Hengrove & Whitchurch Park say a county court hearing to evict the illegal encampment on Whitchurch Green is imminent.

Andrew Brown, Sarah Classick and Tim Kent say they are also pushing for the council to make provision for effecting an eviction once the judgement is obtained, including seeking a high court order to “strengthen their hand”.

In a statement, the Liberal Democrat councillors said: “We want to assure people that we are doing all we can to push the council so that the field can be reclaimed for community use.

“We can’t make the operational decisions, and there is a legal process that has to be followed, but we are in constant contact with council officers to relay community concerns and encourage faster action.”

The Travellers have been on the site which is next to Asda Whitchurch for the last few weeks. They were previously pitched in Hengrove Park and were set to be evicted before moving to their current spot.

In their statement, the councillors tell local people to make reports of any anti-social, dangerous, or violent behaviour to the police.

The statement continued: “Be wary of offers of cheap garden or household clearance work, or of work on your property – such work is likely one of the factors keeping this group from moving on.

“Finally, a number of people have talked to us about how the site can be secured so as to prevent further incursions, and suggested a public meeting.

“We are keen to see action taken and will pursue this further once the site has been secured.”

The council is seeking to address a shortage of legal sites for Travellers to pitch, with Bristol24/7 revealing plans for a “permanent” site in Hengrove.

The council has also set up temporary sites for van dwellers, with two such sites currently operating in Knowle West among other places until they are developed for housing.

The council said it has received 200 reports relating to the Travellers on Whitchurch Green, with increasing concerns about anti-social behaviour, fly-tipping and other disruption.

A Bristol City Council spokesperson told Bristol24/7: “We have worked closely with the large group of travellers on Whitchurch Park, who were previously parked up on Hengrove Park.

“We carried out a full welfare assessment when they arrived in the area and offered them support and advice.

“Traveller encampments pass through Bristol every year, and the majority of them cause very little disruption and raise few complaints.

“Most groups only stop in Bristol for a short time before moving on however the group has been in the area for almost two months and has continued to grow in size.

“We obtained a possession order to allow us to carry out an eviction but this was not necessary as the group moved on from Hengrove Park to Whitchurch Park.

“It is uncommon for us to have to take this sort of action, as we maintain a good relationship with the travelling community.

“We will continue to work with the group and Police to reduce disruption to the local community and support ethnic Gypsy and Traveller communities onto full time permanent sites.”

Main photo: Charlie Watts

Read next:

• Mayor promises more Traveller pitches in Bristol and slams opposition to new plans
• Van dwellers argue safety concerns being used as ‘excuse’ to drive them out
• Controversial plans for new homes ‘with best view of Bristol’ approved

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