WISBECH: Council and police evict Travellers from site - Cambridgeshire

From the Fenland Citizen

A four-year battle between Travellers and Fenland council came to a dramatic end this morning (Wednesday) as contractors moved in to clear the site.

Planning enforcement officers from Fenland District Council, backed up by the police, took direct action against the Travellers, who had been living on the Redmoor Lane site illegally, after issuing an enforcement notice.

But the council’s actions did not go down well with everyone. One woman who had been on the site called it a “load of rubbish” and said it was “racist”.

Bill Tilley, planning enforcement officer, said there had been Travellers living illegally on the site since the end of 2007 and today’s actions were the result of years of work.

There were two mobile homes and two touring caravans on the site this morning, but at one point there were 16 caravans on the site, which is separated up into different plots that are owned by various people.

Some of the Travellers do own their plots, but Mr Tilley explained it is illegal for them to live there.

There have been several planning applications put in for the site, but all have been rejected. It is in Flood Zone 3, which means it is very difficult to get planning permission and makes illegal settlements dangerous in the event of any flooding.

see also: EADP24 - Thousands of pounds and six years later, council removes illegal Travellers site in Wisbech